Woman slept as car in police chase crashed into her home Published duration 25 November 2019

image caption The crash happened on Saturday

A woman says she only discovered a car had crashed into the front of her house and was on fire when a police officer told her.

Sylvia Walden, 61, slept through the early morning smash before being woken by the sound of shouting.

Three people suffered serious injuries in the incident on the A857 at Barvas in Lewis on Saturday. The car was involved in a police chase.

A 32-year-old man was arrested in connection with road traffic offences.

He is due to appear in court next month.

image caption Sylvia Walden said her first concern was for her dog

Ms Walden, 61, was not injured in the incident.

She said: "I believe it was about 01:30. I was fast asleep and didn't hear the car go into the house. People think it rather funny I didn't get woken up by that."

Ms Walden added: "I could hear shouting. I got up, opened the door and there was a police officer with a torch saying 'hello, hello this is the police. You need to get out of the house'."

She said her first concern was for her dog, but was told by the police officer that it was fine before adding that there was a car on fire in her garden.

"It was up against the house on fire," she said.

The car had ended up upright on its bonnet, leaning against Ms Walden's property.

image caption Three people were seriously injured in the crash

The driver and two passengers of the blue Vauxhall Zafira were taken to Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway for treatment to serious injuries.

The incident has been referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) by Police Scotland.

It is thought the actions of officers in the lead-up to the crash will be looked into.

A Pirc spokesman said: "As is standard procedure, Police Scotland have referred to the Pirc the circumstances of an incident in the early hours of Saturday 23 November 2019 on the Isle of Lewis.

"We are now carrying out an assessment to determine whether a full investigation is required."