A MUM of two has told how her children escaped death after their play area was crushed when a Royal Mail van rolled 30ft down an embankment crashing into her garden.

Maria Cadwallader, of Riverside Court, Woodfieldside rushed home from work to find that her children's play area in her back garden had been demolished.

She told Campaign that an on-duty Royal Mail van left the lane, known locally as 'The Wilderness', crashed through a 4ft fence, and crushed swings that her children would have been playing on had they not been in school.

Mrs Cadwallader, mum of Joe, four, and Sam, six, says she burst into tears when she saw the damage She is in no doubt that 'it will happen again' and is calling on the council to install safety barriers.

She said: "The road isn't safe. It is a public access lane and in the past when the weather has been bad dustcarts using the lane have skidded on the ice.

"I wasn't home at the time of the incident and luckily my children were at school. But the holidays are just weeks away and they play in the garden most days when the weather is good.

"It could have been fatal. I can't stop my children playing in the garden but now they no longer have a playground.

'The swings were crushed in half by the vehicle and the legs of the garden table were forced through decking from the impact."

"I love living here and don't want to have to move. My husband Mark and I just want our children to be able to play safe ly in their own garden.

"Something must be done."

Caerphilly County Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Highways, Cllr Keith Griffiths said: "I've listened to the lady's concerns and will be discussing with our highways department the possibility of placing some sort of barrier at the site in the future.

"This is, of course, subject to relevant funding being available, but we will certainly consider the possibility."

Mrs Cadwallader is due to meet with her Islwyn MP, Don Touhig to discuss the issue.

A spokeswoman for Royal Mail confirmed that a Royal Mail van was involved in the incident at around 1.57pm on Friday, June 25. An investigation into the incident is ongoing and no one was injured.

Gwent Police were called to the scene but say they are not investigating the incident.