THE couple whose York home was ploughed into by a car moved straight back in after safety checks were completed at the property, their son has revealed.

David Kitching said his parents Joyce, 82, and Fred, 84, were able to get on with their lives in all but one badly damaged room at their bungalow in Manor Lane, Rawcliffe.

He said he was amazed by their resilience and philosophical attitude, and he also wanted to thank people – some of them complete strangers – who had called round to give them their best wishes and present gifts such as flowers.

The incident, which happened in the early hours of last Sunday, involved a huge hole being smashed in the wall of a room while the couple were asleep in their adjacent bedroom.

The wall bricks were knocked inwards, the window panes had fractures and there were cracks on internal walls as well as dust from the rubble covering the furniture.

The couple, who were uninjured, heard the bang and got up, saw all the rubble in the hall and left the house through the back door because the car was still half in and half out of the property.

Mr Kitching, a retired firefighter from Stockton-on-Forest, said the room, which was a bedroom but was used by his parents as a dining room, would be out of bounds until some extensive repairs had been carried out, and so they were eating meals in the kitchen instead.

He said that while the room was badly damaged, the rest of the house had escaped unscathed.

Experts had been in to check the water, gas and electricity, and a damaged radiator in the affected room had been capped to ensure there was no leak of water.

“There was no gas pipe into the room and so no leak of gas,” he said.

He said he did not yet know how much work would be needed to repair the room, and how long it would take, but a loss adjuster had paid an initial visit and a surveyor would be coming to inspect the property. “We’re hoping it doesn’t take too long,” he said.

“My parents are doing really well.

“It sank in a bit on Monday but they have now managed to be pretty philosophical about it.

“I am absolutely amazed at how resilient they have been.”

He said he would like to thank people, including neighbours but also complete strangers, who had been round to give his parents their support, and give them flowers and cards.

l Police said last week that two men who were arrested after the incident had been released under investigation.