Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Ryan Carroll

Single mum and three kids left homeless after joyriders plough car into house

A Scots mum and her three children have been left homeless after joyriders ploughed a BMW into their home.

A police probe is underway the blue 4x4 crashed into the family's home on Clarimalt Drive in Kirkcaldy at around 8.30am on Monday.

The incident was captured on a neighbour's Ring doorbell camera and shows the luxury motor drive at speed into the house before two men clamber from the wreckage and flee the scene.

Single mum Sharon Herd, 31, said she had a lucky escape and her and her three young boys Calum, 8, Kai 5, and Mason, 2 were not home - but they've been forced to move out after the property was deemed a safety hazard.

Sharon with her boys Calum, 8, Kai 5, and Mason, 2 (Supplied)

Speaking to the Record, Sharon said: "I had been up at my mums house that morning as I care for her and just happened to be getting the kids ready for school there.

"Usually I’d be in the house around 8am, but my mum hasn't been well recently so I've been going up in the morning more often.

"The car drove into the street and crashed into my house at full force.

"It smashed through the side of my house where my stairs and downstairs toilet are.

"Had we been home, myself or my kids would have been hit as they all get ready for school in that toilet."

The vehicle smashed into the side of Sharon's property on Clarimalt Drive in Kirkcaldy (Fife Jammer Locations)
The damage to the inside of the property (Supplied)

"My neighbour called me to see if we were home and I arrived there 10 minutes later to ambulances, fire services and police everywhere."

Footage shared with the Daily Record shows the speeding car smashing into the side of the house.

The vehicle can be seen speeding into the residential road (Supplied)

One man exits the car from the driver's side and sprints off while another scrambles out of the passenger side.

Stunned neighbours can then be seen coming out of their homes and shouting at the pair.

The driver can be seen fleeing the scene (Supplied)

Sharon and her children are now living in her mother's house and have been unable to return to the council property, even to collect their belongings.

Fears that the building could collapse also forced Sharon's next door neighbour to evacuate their home.

The area around the house as been gated off (Supplied)

It's currently unclear when the family will be able to return to the property.

Fife Council offered the family emergency accommodation at a B&B but two of Sharon's sons have autism and wouldn't be able to cope in a cramped room together.

The family are sleeping on Sharon's mum's floor while they wait for a temporary two bedroom house to be ready for them.

Sharon said: "I’m not allowed inside my house as it’s so unstable and could collapse.

"I have no belongings for myself or my children as everything I own is in the house. The council took the keys and the locks were changed to stop anyone getting in.

"Fife Council wanted to place us in a B&B but my sons have autism so they wouldn’t settle in a small room and would possibly destroy it during meltdowns.

Police enquiries are ongoing to trace those responsible (Supplied)

"They have now offered me a two bed house temporarily but it won’t be ready for sometime yet so I am sleeping on my mother's living room floor with my three children.

"My two eldest boys are autistic and rely on routine. This has devastated them.

"Not knowing what has been damaged inside our home is difficult for them to deal with."

Sharon, a full time carer to her mother and children, added: "I’m a single parent and have brought my kids up alone so the one thing I have to be proud of is the home I built with my kids - and now it’s gone.

Single mum-of-three Sharon Herd (Supplied)

"I don’t know when I'll get back into my house but it’s looking like it could be several months.

"The council have helped me as much as possible but there is only so much they can do so.

"I just have to rely on the help from my family and the kids school."

Officers say their enquiries to trace those responsible remain ongoing.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers received report of a car having struck a property on Clarimalt Drive in Kirkcaldy. No-one was injured as a result of the crash and enquiries into the incident are ongoing.”

Housing Manager with Fife Council Elaine Campbell said the council stepped in to support the families affected following Monday’s incident.

“We’ve offered emergency accommodation and financial help if it was needed as it wasn’t safe to allow people back into their homes.

“Engineers are now working on site and we’re waiting for their report to confirm when it will be safe for people to get into their houses. We’re keeping in touch with everyone affected to keep them updated on progress during this difficult time.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.