An Arbroath councillor and his wife are lucky to be alive after their car skidded on black ice, overturned, careered down an embankment and rolled over several times.
The accident happened while Bob Spink and his wife Rhona were travelling along the B965 Inverkeilor to Forfar road around 2.30pm on Hogmanay.
The couple, both 72, were travelling around 40mph past Lunanbank Farm when their Honda Jazz hit black ice and spun 180 degrees before hitting the verge. The car rolled over and plunged down a six foot drop.
A good samaritan stopped and raised the alarm. Mr Spink managed to clamber out of the window but Mrs Spink remained trapped.
The police were quickly on the scene and managed to open the door and get her out.
Mr Spink suffered cuts and bruises and Mrs Spink suffered three broken ribs.
Recovering at home, Mr Spink said the couple owe their lives to the fact they were wearing their seatbelts.
“We were snowed in over Christmas and couldn’t get out so we were taking Christmas presents up to our grandchildren in Forfar when the accident happened,” Mr Spink said.
“We were both conscious but we couldn’t get out of the car. It was pretty well smashed up and it’s a write off.
“I got out through the window. The police were quickly on the scene because they were attending a similar accident close by.
“My wife couldn’t get out but when the police came we did manage to get the door open to get her out.”
Mr Spink paid tribute to the good samaritan and the emergency services.
“A young Polish guy tried to help,” he said. “I’ve never come across anybody so willing to help. He didn’t have much English but he was considerate.
“I want to thank the Polish guy and I want to thank the police. They took all the presents out the car and took them back to the house.
“I also want to thank the paramedics who took us up to Ninewells where we got patched up. My head’s got a couple of lacerations and my bruises were mostly caused by the seatbelt. The seatbelt and the airbags certainly did their job and we probably owe our lives to it.”
Mr Spink claimed the road had not been treated.
“The message I would give to anybody is never to assume that a road has been salted. You don’t have to be a young whizzkid — you can be travelling along at a sedate 40mph, as we were,” he said.