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Thomas Chatfield: miracle as boy, 5, survives after driving father's 4x4 four miles alone
A five year-old boy, Thomas Chatfield, miraculously escaped uninjured after he stole his stepfather's 4x4, drove more than four miles along country lanes and a dual carriageway before finally crashing into a wall.
By Andrew Hough, and Laura Roberts
Published: 7:30AM GMT 19 Mar 2010
The damaged car was driven just over four miles by Thomas Chatfield, 5, from Tangmere to Pook Lane, Lavant near Chichester. No one was hurt. Photo: EDDIE MITCHELL
Thomas, from the village of Tangmere, near Chichester, West Sussex, stood as he drove his father’s Mitsubishi Shogun at low speeds on Thursday.
Police received dozens of 999 calls after the vehicle was spotted by surprised motorists – who could only see the top of his head – driving "erratically" at low speed.
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The tearful child's amazing four-mile adventure came to a halt after about 20 minutes when he crashed into the wall of a £800,000 house in the village of Lavant, just outside Chichester, leaving minor damage to the high-powered vehicle.
The home's owners, Cynthia Rivett, 70, and her husband Paul, 71, said they were “amazed” the boy had escaped unharmed.
His mother Jessica Chatfield was woken just after 6am on Thursday by neighbours who reported hearing loud revving noises.
They then watched in horror as Thomas drove the car, belonging to his unnamed stepfather, out of the family’s driveway before embarking on his journey of the local countryside.
A shaken Mrs Chatfield was too distressed to comment when approached at the family's home on Thursday night.
Police said they would not be taking any action in the "bizarre case".
A relative who did not want to be identified, told The Daily Telegraph the family were shocked at the incident.
"It's not very often that you hear about a five-year-old boy going on a joyride," they said.
"What they were worried about was whether he had hurt himself or anybody else."
Witnesses said after starting the car and, somehow, managing to reverse out of the driveway, he then crashed into two cars parked on the street before driving off with some neighbours dashing after him.
The little boy's journey took him along a dual carriageway section of the A27 from Tangmere towards Chichester before turning north on the A285.
He passed Goodwood airfield, home to a motor racing track, before turning down a country road called Pook Lane and finally hitting a brick wall.
By this time he had hit another two parked cars, dealt a passing motorist a glancing blow while the concerned driver, who was not named, followed behind.
When the Shogun, which typically comes with a 3.2 litre diesel engine, came to rest the male driver got out and pulled the crying boy out of the vehicle and called police and an ambulance.
The boy was taken to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester as a precaution but was unhurt and was soon reunited with his family.
It remains unclear how he managed to start the car but most Shogun models can start by the press of a button.
He could have simply steered the car without needing to touch the pedal because the car was an automatic and could be driven at low speed in drive mode.
Relatives said he managed to unlock the Shogun after taking the cars keys from his mother’s handbag.
One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said he was awoken to loud revving before seeing the boy standing in front of the driver’s seat.
“I looked out of my window after hearing loud revving and I could see was this car backing out of the driveway but I couldn’t see who was driving,” he said.
“I then saw a little boy who was standing in front of the driver’s seat. It was remarkable.
"I was shocked. I quickly ran out but he was already gone. He had crashed into two cars.”
He added: "The street have been wonderful and understanding."
Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, added: "Jessica had been asleep and Thomas had taken the keys from her handbag.
"She was utterly shocked by what had happened and I have been comforting her.
"She is relieved that he's OK. He often travels in the car with his mum and has seen how she presses the button down to put the car into reverse.
"Thomas is obviously a clever boy who has learnt to drive by watching his mum."
Nathan Parkinson, 22, attempted to stop car as it drove off.
"I had to do a double take because I couldn't believe what I was seeing,” he said.
"I could just about make out a forehead above the steering wheel and a pair of eyes peaking through the gap.
"The car was revving loudly and jolting backwards and foreyards. I was struggling to keep up because he wasn't wearing a seat belt and looked like he was standing.”
PC Mark Ryan of Sussex Police Road Policing Unit at Chichester said: "This was a remarkable incident.
"The boy and other road-users clearly had a lucky escape because there's no doubt a serious collision could have happened at any stage."
A West Sussex Police spokesman added: "I believe the boy was crying after he had the accident because he was a bit shaken but for a five year old he had driven quite well.
"We were first made aware just after 7am when several drivers called saying they had seen a Mitsubishi Shogun being driven by a small boy on roads east of Chichester.
"At almost the same time a distressed local man reported he had woken up and believed his 5-year old son had driven off a short while beforehand in their car, which is an automatic.
"It's a bizarre case and we are not taking action against anyone."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring...hers-4x4-before-driving-four-miles-alone.html
A five year-old boy, Thomas Chatfield, miraculously escaped uninjured after he stole his stepfather's 4x4, drove more than four miles along country lanes and a dual carriageway before finally crashing into a wall.
By Andrew Hough, and Laura Roberts
Published: 7:30AM GMT 19 Mar 2010
Thomas, from the village of Tangmere, near Chichester, West Sussex, stood as he drove his father’s Mitsubishi Shogun at low speeds on Thursday.
Police received dozens of 999 calls after the vehicle was spotted by surprised motorists – who could only see the top of his head – driving "erratically" at low speed.
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The tearful child's amazing four-mile adventure came to a halt after about 20 minutes when he crashed into the wall of a £800,000 house in the village of Lavant, just outside Chichester, leaving minor damage to the high-powered vehicle.
The home's owners, Cynthia Rivett, 70, and her husband Paul, 71, said they were “amazed” the boy had escaped unharmed.
His mother Jessica Chatfield was woken just after 6am on Thursday by neighbours who reported hearing loud revving noises.
They then watched in horror as Thomas drove the car, belonging to his unnamed stepfather, out of the family’s driveway before embarking on his journey of the local countryside.
A shaken Mrs Chatfield was too distressed to comment when approached at the family's home on Thursday night.
Police said they would not be taking any action in the "bizarre case".
A relative who did not want to be identified, told The Daily Telegraph the family were shocked at the incident.
"It's not very often that you hear about a five-year-old boy going on a joyride," they said.
"What they were worried about was whether he had hurt himself or anybody else."
Witnesses said after starting the car and, somehow, managing to reverse out of the driveway, he then crashed into two cars parked on the street before driving off with some neighbours dashing after him.
The little boy's journey took him along a dual carriageway section of the A27 from Tangmere towards Chichester before turning north on the A285.
He passed Goodwood airfield, home to a motor racing track, before turning down a country road called Pook Lane and finally hitting a brick wall.
By this time he had hit another two parked cars, dealt a passing motorist a glancing blow while the concerned driver, who was not named, followed behind.
When the Shogun, which typically comes with a 3.2 litre diesel engine, came to rest the male driver got out and pulled the crying boy out of the vehicle and called police and an ambulance.
The boy was taken to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester as a precaution but was unhurt and was soon reunited with his family.
It remains unclear how he managed to start the car but most Shogun models can start by the press of a button.
He could have simply steered the car without needing to touch the pedal because the car was an automatic and could be driven at low speed in drive mode.
Relatives said he managed to unlock the Shogun after taking the cars keys from his mother’s handbag.
One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said he was awoken to loud revving before seeing the boy standing in front of the driver’s seat.
“I looked out of my window after hearing loud revving and I could see was this car backing out of the driveway but I couldn’t see who was driving,” he said.
“I then saw a little boy who was standing in front of the driver’s seat. It was remarkable.
"I was shocked. I quickly ran out but he was already gone. He had crashed into two cars.”
He added: "The street have been wonderful and understanding."
Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, added: "Jessica had been asleep and Thomas had taken the keys from her handbag.
"She was utterly shocked by what had happened and I have been comforting her.
"She is relieved that he's OK. He often travels in the car with his mum and has seen how she presses the button down to put the car into reverse.
"Thomas is obviously a clever boy who has learnt to drive by watching his mum."
Nathan Parkinson, 22, attempted to stop car as it drove off.
"I had to do a double take because I couldn't believe what I was seeing,” he said.
"I could just about make out a forehead above the steering wheel and a pair of eyes peaking through the gap.
"The car was revving loudly and jolting backwards and foreyards. I was struggling to keep up because he wasn't wearing a seat belt and looked like he was standing.”
PC Mark Ryan of Sussex Police Road Policing Unit at Chichester said: "This was a remarkable incident.
"The boy and other road-users clearly had a lucky escape because there's no doubt a serious collision could have happened at any stage."
A West Sussex Police spokesman added: "I believe the boy was crying after he had the accident because he was a bit shaken but for a five year old he had driven quite well.
"We were first made aware just after 7am when several drivers called saying they had seen a Mitsubishi Shogun being driven by a small boy on roads east of Chichester.
"At almost the same time a distressed local man reported he had woken up and believed his 5-year old son had driven off a short while beforehand in their car, which is an automatic.
"It's a bizarre case and we are not taking action against anyone."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring...hers-4x4-before-driving-four-miles-alone.html