A FAMILY is grateful their house was not destroyed after a driver crashed into their fence.

Carly Cox and her three children were asleep at their home when they heard a huge bang in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Carly, of Pillbox Walk, Colchester, said she was shocked to see a black Toyota had crashed into the metal fence around her home.

She said she understood there had been a police chase, which resulted in the driver being arrested on suspicion of stealing a car.

She said: “We were all in bed and all of a sudden the whole house shook.

“If it wasn’t for that fence it would have gone through the house, we were so lucky.

“I think police found the driver in the end. I don’t think the driver realised this road is a dead end.”

The chase happened at about 12.10am and the car was recovered at about 3am.

Carly’s fence has been badly damaged but she is glad no-one was hurt.

She said: “I’m just so relieved that fence was there, it could have been a different story the next morning.

“It’s damaged the whole fence but we are all lucky the house was not damaged with my three children inside.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said a man was yesterday in custody following the incident.

He said: “A man has been arrested following an incident where a vehicle failed to stop for police.

“It happened in the Colne Bank Avenue area shortly after midnight on December 13.

“The driver of the vehicle decamped shortly after.

“A man was later arrested on suspicion of failing to stop when directed, theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving, and failing to provide a breath test.”