Traffic chaos as pensioner causes pedestrian pile-up

There has been chaos on the High Street following a serious collision involving three people on the northbound pavement. The accident left the pavement closed for 3 hours.

Police were called to the collision at around 9.43am outside the charity shop. Eyewitnesses say it was caused by local resident, 86-year-old Elsie Duggan, stopping suddenly for no apparent reason.

Although we understand there are no fatalities, two have been taken to hospital for what are described as “minor injuries” and another was treated at the scene by a passing first aider.

The Northbound pavement was closed and a contraflow put in place on the southbound. But the flow of traffic was described as pedestrian as people on the opposite path slowed down to “rubberneck”.

It is understood the Mrs Duggan had been walking in an erratic manner moments before the collision. Police have said they are looking into whether she was “walking under the influence” after finding what they described as a “cocktail of drugs” in her possession, although these are understood to be to help control her piles.

PC Flegg, investigating officer explained “early enquires suggest that after weaving from side-to-side taking up most of the pavement, Mrs Duggan stopped suddenly with no indication or warning. Unfortunately, other pedestrians were following dangerously close giving them no chance of stopping before ploughing into the stranded pensioner.

“We are looking into why she came to a sudden standstill. Currently there are two options. Firstly, we are investigating reports she may have been distracted by a scarf she saw on a passing friend. The other, more likely explanation is she had to perform an emergency stop for absolutely no reason whatsoever.”

The scene was one of carnage and the clear-up operation took longer than expected. Witnesses say there were handbags, walking sticks and shopping bags strewn across the pavement but most of the time was taken clearing up the shopping from B&Q. Three bags had split and the path was covered in garden tools, which police have described as a shed-load.