A COUPLE who came within inches of seeing their house demolished by a lorry involved in a crash on the notorious A414 at Ongar, north-east London, are calling for a reduced speed limit along a stretch of the road.

Major roadworks are due to start on the A414 between Ongar and North Weald on Monday, but Tom and Jo Pinch believe a lower and enforced speed limit is the real answer to the road's problems.

Mr and Mrs Pinch were in their bedroom when a tipper truck ploughed across their front garden and came to rest against their cottage one morning in January.

The driver of the car involved in the accident escaped with just a cut head but his vehicle was left unrecognisable.

Mr Pinch lost several mature trees and his garden furniture in the crash but the cottage miraculously escaped serious damage although some roof tiles have had to be replaced, along with guttering and a security light, and the bedroom has had to be redecorated.

Essex County Council has drawn up an improvement works scheme to deal with the camber along the road, particularly the stretch by Water End Farm which has seen numerous accidents.

But following a call from Ongar Town Council for something to be done, the Pinchs believe the only solution is an enforced 40mph speed limit along the entire stretch of road from the Talbot roundabout, North Weald, to the Four Wantz roundabout, Ongar, with speed cameras also put in.

Mr Pinch said: "It wasn't too long ago that there were three crashes in a week there (by Water End Farm).

"You're never going to stop the mad drivers. The only way to slow the traffic on the road is not spending stacks of money on the road but lowering the speed limit."

He added: "To me, 45 to 50mph on this road is more than fast enough."