A COUPLE have told how they were thrown from their seats by the impact from a high-performance car which crashed into their house.

Jack and Freda Bailey, both aged 65, were sitting in the living room of their house in Manchester Road, Westhoughton, when the accident happened on Friday evening.

Mr Bailey said: "I was sitting on one couch, and my wife on the other. The impact of the crash knocked me onto the floor.

"I managed to get up and get outside to see what had happened, although I don't remember doing it."

The crash happened at around 8.30pm. Two cars collided and one of them - a Porsche Carrera, with a personalised registration plate - slamming into the corner of the Baileys' terraced house and then hitting the building again near to the front door.

Mrs Bailey said: "There was a noise which sounded like an explosion and we were lifted from our seats.

"Both cars were a real mess. It is a miracle that no-one was seriously injured.

"The car could have quite easily come through the front of the house. The accident could have been a lot worse, it does not bear thinking about."

Both drivers and Mr Bailey - who suffered were taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital after treatment at the scene.

Fire crews made the building safe, and parts of front of the house were boarded up In the aftermath of the accident the Baileys are asking Bolton Council's highways department to introduce traffic calming measures on the road or install bollards in front of their corner terrace house.

Mr Bailey said: "In the past I have asked for bollards to be placed in front of the house but was told they were not necessary.

"They would have stopped the car.

"I even had to get the council to put up 40mph speed limit signs on this road because vehicles thought they were still in a national speed zone."

Mrs Bailey added: "Because the road is so straight, many cars go too fast. Something has to be done about it."