Man arrested after car crashes into Sandiacre library - in the 'crime' books section

A man has been arrested on suspicion of driving offences, after a car crashed into a library in Sandiacre.

Neighbours and locals say they heard a "big bang" at Sandiacre Library in Derbyshire, on the morning of 30 October.

Emergency vehicles arrived at the scene on Doncaster Avenue, where they found part of the library wall completely destroyed.

The building is being assessed by structural engineers.

Helen Sunter, who has run Sandiacre Library for the past 15 years, says she was shocked to discover the reason for the alarm going off.

She said: "They phoned me at 7.20am saying the alarm was going off. I didn’t think, very often it’s something like a fly that can set it off.

"The police were alerted and at that point I didn’t know what it was.

"When we were driving they phoned up saying a car had gone to it, obviously I wasn’t expecting that.

"It’s more like a community centre, there’s lots of community groups who use the library.

"I’m just grateful that it wasn’t open. Nobody can go into the library, if they try get the car out it’s a danger to life. There’s a possible demolition. We can’t let anybody in."

'We heard a big bang'

Local resident Kelly Whitehead described what she heard from the crash.

She said: "We did hear a big bang, but I thought it was a lorry or a truck going at speed over a bump."

She and her 10-year-old daughter Evie are hoping it will be repaired and open for use again soon.

Ms Whitehead said: "She uses it all the time. I hope they rebuild it quickly, obviously it's a part of the community."

'You normally get a drive-thru McDonalds but not a drive-thru library'

Resident Andrew English, who has lived in the town for 47 years, said he was relieved it happened when the library wasn’t open.

"I was having a cup of tea and I heard a bang from around the corner and that is the result of the bang," he said.

"It was good it was a Sunday and not a Monday when a couple of hours later kids would have been at the desks.

"A lot of people were on the scene instantly, neighbours, Long Eaton fire brigade and Ilkeston fire brigade, they were brilliant.

"You normally get a drive-thru McDonalds but not a drive-thru library."

A Derbyshire Police spokesperson said: "A scene is in place on Albert Road in Sandiacre due to a collision where a car has collided with the library.

"A 34-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of driving offences. The building is being assessed by structural engineers.”