A NOTORIOUS blind bend in a Vale village is causing concern for residents who say it is only a matter of time before a serious incident occurs.

The latest incident on the corner which sits on the stretch of road between St Peter’s Close and the bridge over the River Isbourne in Hinton-on-the-Green, saw an LMS Travel bus and a van travelling in opposite directions collide.

It took the emergency services more than an hour to separate the two vehicles which had become wedged together against the steep bank.

Resident Nick Frost, aged 56, said it was lucky no one was hurt. “Many Hinton villagers have been concerned for some time that something like this was going to happen.

“There is no footpath along this stretch of road and it is just fortunate that there were no pedestrians on the road at the same time. A particular concern at the moment is a couple of bus companies have changed their route and we now get masses of buses through the village. We don’t want to stop the buses because it’s a useful facility for residents who don’t drive – but the road is just not suitable for lots of large vehicles.”

The narrow stretch of road is well used by residents but villager Liz Davies said she had stopped her 13-year-old daughter from using it when she goes bell ringing in the evenings.

“I’ve stopped her from walking down that road now,” she said. “It’s just too dangerous. I find myself driving the family to the other side of the village in the car to avoid it. I just don’t like the thought of walking my family down there. It doesn’t help when you get people speeding through the village.”

Roland Giddy, chairman of Hinton-on-the-Green and Aston Somerville Parish Council, said they were looking into the issue. “It’s been ongoing for a while,” he said. “It’s being discussed at our next meeting.”