Walkers heading out along the Gower coast path on Saturday morning found a brand new Kia jammed across it, nose buried in a wooden bench, cliff on one side and the drop to the sea on the other.
It is the second car on the same clifftop route in two months.
The blue Sportage, on a 26 plate and barely a fortnight old, had got as far as the highest point of the path between Langland and Mumbles lighthouse before it stopped.
Photographs taken by John Phillips and shared in a local Facebook group shortly before 9am show it filling the full width of the concrete, with no way past on either side.
Second car in two months
In July a car with a burst tyre was driven along the same stretch between Limeslade and Rotherslade, with walkers watching it come towards them on the narrow path.
The route was finished last November as the final phase of an £80,000 job paid for out of the council’s highways maintenance budget, the whole point of which was to let families with pushchairs and wheelchair users get along the coast.
Swansea Council said after the July incident that the path had been built for walkers and the emergency services, and that it would look at whether any changes were needed. It did not say when that work would conclude.
On Saturday morning the ward councillor said it would now look at the entrance.
Cllr Will Thomas, who represents Mumbles on Swansea Council and chairs Mumbles Community Council, said he had already been in touch with officers.
“We will look at ways to narrow the entrance. I have emailed officers already,” he said in the Facebook group.
‘I’m surprised a car fits past the bin’
He said there is already a bin and a sign at the entrance, put there to keep vehicles off, and that he had not expected anything to squeeze through the gap.
“I am surprised a car fits past the bin and sign to be honest, as that is why the bin was put there,” he said.
The walker who shared the photographs said the car had travelled a fair distance before coming to a stop, and that a sign at the lighthouse end warns the path is closed, though people are able to clamber past it.
The path runs 1.7km and has been rebuilt in stages as the cliff eroded beneath it, with 310 metres of concrete 1.5 metres wide added last autumn, 450 metres in March and 270 metres back in 2022. It is a walking route, part of the Wales Coast Path around Gower, the first place in the UK to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
It is not yet clear how the car got onto the path, whether anyone was hurt, or what damage has been done to the surface, the bench or the handrail.
South Wales Police has been approached for comment.
Discover more from Swansea Bay News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Please take the picture of the Blue Kia down before smart arse comments appear. My friend was driving he is unwell and has just collapsed. Waiting for an ambulance now.
At least we don’t have to worry about him driving to the hospital
Sarah, did the ambulance find him and how did he get out of the car? Is he ok now?
His health scare doesn’t excuse his moronic decision to drive along a footpath.
Your brother should be forced to reverse his car back down the foot path, after all there will be no help, support or anything for your brother, just arrest, court a heavy fine we hope and maybe jail time for stupidity. There’s no help for stupidity intact there’s no help anywhere in Wales.
Your friend is a cretin
You can’t educate pork unfortunately, let’s be honest these characters shouldn’t even be in the round, the stupidity of ever growing numbers astounds me.
The person driving that car was clearly a f-ing idiot with no common sense, and should be made to take the driving test again.
It seems every village has more than one idiot these days
I would take the driver license away and crush the car.
To be honest, I cannot imagine they even possess i driving license anyway. Lol
LOL yeah right five hour police search. Driver had become ill whilst driving. Currently in hospital. Had no recollection of incident. Can’t you read my first post? We the family and friends are all extremely worried. Yeah thanks for your concern.
Hello …..photos of driver…. definitely in white car….they would of HAD to exit car…if still seen driving…..reg numbers should give owners???
What a pleb
Some people just shouldnt have a licence 🤦 i thaught all the stupid came to Cornwall
Why don’t they just fine them very heavily and confenscate the vehicle.
How stupid do you have to be to try and take a car across the walkway.
Why not fit a lockable bollard, key supplied to emergency services (this is done by parks and gardens so it isn’t difficult to do)
Then pedestrians etc can use safely and idiot drivers cannot get through. But, i find it concerning that motorists even consider driving up such s narrow track. Surely anyone with a modecom of intelligence would realise that this isn’t a through road. Are some motorists really that stupid. Some folk beggar belief. If the said vehicles weren’t stolen and abandoned their, i do hope that the council/emergency services and recovery company will charge the offending motorists a substantial amount of money. The police should also get DVLA to either revoke their driving licence or make them take a retest!!!!
At least we don’t have to worry about him driving to the hospital
Sorry to hear about the ladies friend that collapsed. Hope he ok. . . .This the thing with social media, half a story taken and a lot of assumptions with abusive responses.
Shame on Swansea Bay for not checking out the full facts and posting a full a story.
If one can’t identify a path from a road, they shouldn’t be on the road. I get that one might suddenly feel ill when driving, it’s happened to me and it’s a horrible experience… But you slow down or stop. It’s common sense.
Same with bike paths now finding cars on them
Should have got an ebike