A YOUNG woman was pinned against a wall by the back of a car which "lost control" and crashed in a Gwent street.

Rebecca Brain, 22, had just got out of her father's car when a Vauxhall Astra travelling south through the village of Wattsville span 180 degrees, mounted the pavement and hit the wall along Islwyn Road, demolished a pillar and came to rest against a shocked Miss Brain, pinning her to the wall.

She was pinned for 40 minutes, and had to be freed by firefighters who carried her to a waiting ambulance. Miss Brain was taken to Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital and kept in overnight.

The worker in Newport's Patent Office said she had tried to jump up on railings on the wall to avoid the car, but didn't have time. She says she was lucky to escape with torn ligaments in her knee and bruises.

"I'm lucky to be alive. It could have been much worse. If my dad hadn't parked the way he did, it would have been me my sister and my dad trapped," she said.

Miss Brain, her father Rob, 61, and 17-year-old sister Kimberley had just returned home after getting a takeaway at 8.50pm on Monday when the crash happened.

She said all she could remember was her sister screaming.

"I heard screeching and then saw this car spinning around towards me," she said.

"I don't remember much only the shock, then I realised I had really hurt my legs. Then all I remember was being carried by a firefighter and given morphine. I was lucky I did not break anything - or worse."

Her father said: "I heard screeching, a loud bang and Rebecca screaming. My stomach filled with dread I knew she was hurt.

"The car demolished a pillar on the way. If that had not took the force, she would have easily been a goner. I ran around the corner and she was supporting herself to stop falling under the car.

"I could hear booming music, I pulled the driver out and supported my daughter with one hand and pushed the Astra with the other, it moved about six inches.

"Everytime I moved the car she screamed, she was trapped for 40 minutes."

Miss Brain will be on crutches for the time being and her leg is in a splint until a review of her treatment at the Royal Gwent Hospital next week.

A police spokeswoman said: "A 20-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving. He has been bailed pending further enquiries."