A father and his 10-year-old daughter narrowly escaped serious injury after a massive pothole tore the front wheel off their Aston Martin DB9, leaving the car likely beyond repair. Andrew McQueen, 52, was driving along the A346 through Savernake Forest near Marlborough, Wiltshire, returning from a day out at Peppa Pig World with his daughter Poppy when the incident occurred.
Andrew described encountering a hazardous stretch of road riddled with enormous craters so large they barely resembled potholes. “There wasn’t just one pothole—there were dozens clustered together over several hundred yards. No matter which way you tried to steer, you couldn’t avoid them,” he said.
Traveling at about 40mph, Andrew had no time to safely maneuver around the damage. Upon hitting one of the massive holes, he heard a loud bang as the front wheel was ripped off, leaving the car shaking violently and causing the brakes to fail. For several hundred yards, Andrew struggled to control the car without brakes, narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic and trees. Thankfully, a driver following behind stopped to assist.
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Both Andrew and Poppy were left shaken and had to wait in the dark for hours until a mechanic arrived to recover the vehicle. Although Andrew suffered a shoulder injury, neither he nor his daughter was physically hurt. However, the emotional toll was significant. “My daughter started crying, blaming herself for making us go to Peppa Pig World and thinking it caused the accident,” Andrew recalled.
Having dreamed of owning an Aston Martin since childhood, Andrew is devastated to see his “dream car” likely written off. Yet, his foremost relief remains that they escaped unharmed. “In the moment after the crash, I was just grateful we were alive and safe,” he said.
Andrew has contacted his local MP and pressured Wiltshire Council to urgently repair the dangerous road. Wiltshire Council has since committed to emergency repairs on the affected section of the A346. Council cabinet member Martin Smith expressed regret over the incident, noting the pothole damage had not yet been reported.
Andrew hopes his story raises awareness about the poor road conditions and encourages others to take care when driving in that area. “It doesn’t matter what car you drive—we all pay road tax and deserve safe roads. My priority was getting my daughter home safely, but these roads need immediate attention to prevent future accidents,” he added.