By Alan Quick

THE driver of a vehicle stopped at traffic lights on Beers Hill, Copplestone, during the morning of Monday, March 7, has spoken of how an oncoming vehicle “fishtailed” and “swerved from side-to-side” before colliding with his vehicle head-on.

Marc Astley said the Land Rover Defender which hit his stationary vehicle just after 10am was travelling “at speed” towards him.

“I guess in a way that it was lucky it hit me in my vehicle. If I had not been in the way I think it would have gone through the hedge and overturned into a garden.

“I think it would have been far more serious if it had overturned.”

Mr Astley was driving a Range Rover Sport and was unharmed.

A man and woman were the occupants of the Land Rover Defender.

Devon and Cornwall Police attended the incident and closed the A3072 road. Diversions were operated using minor roads in the area.

The police requested the assistance of firefighters from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service to assist with the removal of one of the occupants of the Land Rover Defender.

Fire crews from Crediton and North Tawton attended.

On arrival the crews confirmed that all persons were free and clear of the vehicles, and got to work to make the vehicles safe.

One of the occupants of the Land Rover Defender was taken by an ambulance to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital with suspected neck injuries.

The A3072 was closed at Copplestone for two hours.

A one-way traffic system with traffic lights has been in place at Copplestone since the middle of January.

Works are being completed to install safety barriers along the side of the A377 beside the railway line.

Works on one side are due to finish this week and that stretch of road re-opened.

However, the A377 will be closed through the village for the next two weeks to enable works to be completed on that stretch of road.

Motorists have complained of long delays, long queues of traffic and about the length of time that the work is taking.