THREE people had a lucky escape when a car mounted the pavement and crashed into a terraced house.

Two student teachers had just gone to bed in their Garfield Terrace house, off Leeman Road, York, when the accident happened.

They and the motorist escaped unharmed, but they were unable to stay in the house after structural engineers declared it unsafe.

Engineers were also investigating the condition of a neighbouring house.

Tenant Natalie Gowland, 22, said she had just gone to bed, at about 10pm, when there was a tremendous bang and the whole building shook.

She said: "I had no idea what it was, but I got out of bed and knew that it was something bad."

Both Ms Gowland and fellow tenant, Adele Buttle, 22, went to stay with family and friends in Bridlington and now hope to be given temporary accommodation by the college.

The house's owner, Emma Baxandall, 25, also a student teacher, said the cost of repairs could run into tens of thousands of pounds.

"Luckily, nobody was injured, but it was a beautiful house, lovely inside, and now it is absolutely wrecked with cracks all up the walls and ceilings," she said.

A spokesman for City of York Council said engineers worked through the night to make the area safe and carry out a preliminary examination of the building.

* A man from West Yorkshire has been charged with failing to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine.

He will appear at York Magistrates Court on Friday.