A DAD-OF-TWO said he thought a ‘bomb had gone off’ after a vehicle smashed into his car outside his home.

Paul Ormerod, jumped out of bed when he heard a loud bang in St John’s Road, Padiham.

But a cursory glance out of the window in the early hours of the morning revealed nothing.

It wasn’t until the student nurse went to his grey Citroen C3 to drive to his placement at the Royal Blackburn Hospital that he discovered the car had been ‘written off’.

Mr Ormerod, who had only owned the car for a month, said he also uses it to drive to the University of Central Lancashire in Preston.

He said the wing mirror, quarter panel, side panel and the rear bumper had been severely damaged.

He said: “When I saw the wing mirror I realised what had happened. The bang had been someone crashing into my car.

“At first I was mostly shocked but then the anger kicked in.

“When the bang woke me, I popped my head out the window and saw a car and a truck go past.

“I’m really annoyed they didn’t stop to call the police to report the incident.

“I have only recently upgraded my old car, a typical university banger, to this newer one.”

The 40-year-old said the impact must have been ‘significant’ as his tail light was found in a neighbours garden three doors away.

St John’s Road, which is home to the town’s cemetery, is a popular route during rush hour and school drop off and pick up times.

Community leaders said they have been monitoring complaints about speeding along the road for a while and are in talks with the county council to introduce speed calming measures.

This latest incident comes as the Lancashire Telegraph calls for East Lancashire’s dangerous drivers to clean up their act with the ‘Stop The Madness’ campaign.

The campaign is fighting for tougher sentences for convicted dangerous drivers, to ensure those who commit crimes such as this are put behind bars.

It has already been backed in Parliament by the Transport Minister and MPs and by police, local authorities, road safety charities, Lancashire Road Safety Partnership and those who have suffered the consequences of poor and dangerous driving.

Cllr Jean Cunningham, who sits on Padiham Town Council, said: “Cars come speeding down from Hapton and do not realise there is a bend at Stone Moor Bottom and then another bend further round.

“The fault is with reckless motorists at the end of the day.

“It is really annoying when you have people taking risks.

“Within 200 yards we have four bends and people do not realise that.

“It is a 30mph speed limit but I think it should be 20mph because there is a school and school crossing on that road.

“Some people will walk down to Cemetery Road then into Hapton Road so they are not using the crossing.

“If cars come speeding along pedestrians are worried they could get mowed down.

“We do have the flashing signs so drivers can see what speed they are doing but people do not listen.

“We need to educate them.”

County Cllr Marcus Johnstone said County Hall bosses are drawing up a scheme to change the road markings to reduce speed in the area.

He said: “The road markings are designed to reduce the speed of traffic.

“There has been a lot of local concern and the county council is aware of it.

“However you can have the best traffic calming but if people drive like lunatics there is not a lot you can do.

“We are doing everything we can but you can’t legislate for hooligan driving.”

Cllr Mark Townsend, leader of Burnley Council, said he has serious concerns about road users who drive dangerously.

He said: “We should be doing all we can to clamp down on this type of behaviour.

“I think people have had enough warnings.”

A police spokesman said: “We were called at 3.45pm on Monday, January 16 after a car was damaged after a vehicle crashed into it.

“There was severe damage to the bumper, wing, door panel.

“An investigation has been launched and inquires are ongoing.

“Anyone with who witnessed the collision or who has any information should call police on 101.”