Tree 'saved man's life' in shocking crash on Snake Pass near Sheffield

Police believe a man narrowly escaped death after his car hurtled off the Snake Pass – but was stopped from a horrific plunge into the valley by a tree.
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A picture released by Derbyshire Roads Policing Unit shows how the car crashed through a dry stone wall and down a slope, before striking the tree, which brought it to a halt.

Emergency services were called to the scene after the incident last night.

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A spokesman for the roads policing unit said the driver was suspected of overtaking on a solid white line section of the road, which has a 50mph limit along its length, and winds through the countryside between Sheffield and Glossop.

The scene of the collision on the Snake PassThe scene of the collision on the Snake Pass
The scene of the collision on the Snake Pass
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He said: “Ambition outweighs ability, loses control and goes off road. Hits a tree which saves him from rolling down the hill and most likely dying. No injuries. Thank you tree.”

Police said they were called out at 8.15pm to reports that a car had left the Snake Pass, and found a Citroen C2 which had left the road and collided with the tree.

The driver, a 19-year-old man, has been reported for driving without due care and attention.

A close up of the collision with the treeA close up of the collision with the tree
A close up of the collision with the tree
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It is the latest collision reported on the road in just a few weeks.

On Saturday September 4, a man was airlifted to hospital after being thrown from his motorbike on the Snake, breaking several bones, closing the road for several hours.

It was also closed for around four hours on August 14, when two motorcyclists were seriously injured near the summit of the pass, part of the A57. It is one of the main roads linking Sheffield and Manchester and is also known for its picturesque scenery and is crossed by the Pennine Way.

The motorist who raised the alarm on that occasion raised concerns about the lack of mobile phone reception which left witnesses unable to call emergency services from the scene. He said he was nearly in Glossop before he got a signal.

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A 25-mile Trans-Pennine Tunnel has long been mooted to improve connections between Manchester and Sheffield but earlier this year Transport for the North argued the £12bn ambitious plans for a dual carriageway should be dropped.

Local journalism holds the powerful to account and gives people a voice. Please take out a digital subscription or buy a paper. Thank you. Nancy Fielder, editor