• Funeral wake car crash drama leaves man fighting for life
THEY had gathered to celebrate the life of their much-loved grandfather. Family and friends were at The Holderness Pub in Witham to raise a glass to Harry Parks, who had died at the age of 82.
However, the emotional day turned into a nightmare when a car smashed through the wall of the pub, leaving family member Barry King, 48, fighting for his life.
It was shortly before 11pm on Friday when the accident happened.
Mr King's partner Diane Green said: "We had been at my granddad's funeral and had gone out around Witham afterwards to have a drink in his memory.
"We went to The Holderness as my mum likes to sing on the karaoke.
"It was about 11pm and I was outside the pub and I was really upset about my grandad.
"Baz (Barry) was consoling me and we decided to get a taxi home as we both had work the next day.
"We went back inside to finish off our drinks and call a taxi and that's when the nightmare began."
Eye-witnesses described how a blue Vauxhall Tigra screeched towards the pub at some speed, smashing through the wall.
Diane's sister Amy was outside having a cigarette when she saw the car heading straight towards her.
"The whole thing was surreal, it was like something from a film," Amy, 29, said.
"We feared for our lives as that car came towards us.
"We were at the funeral that day and I feel like someone was watching over us."
Inside the pub, Diane and customer Pete Brown performed CPR on Mr King until paramedics arrived.
"It seemed to take ages for the ambulance to arrive, even though in reality they got to us quickly," Diane said.
"I kept whispering in Baz's ear, pleading with him not to die."
Landlord Dave Stark described how customers were in complete shock.
He said: "People were panicking and everyone was really shook up – we still are now.
He said it was fortunate more people were not in the immediate vicinity of the crash: "If this had happened just ten minutes earlier, I dread to think what could have happened."
Mr King was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary where he is receiving treatment for soft tissue damage to his right calf. He is also waiting on results of a brain scan.
The Holderness pub is expected to remain closed for at least four weeks.
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