A COUPLE from Princetown were lucky to escape with their lives after the car in which they were travelling collided with a rock and hurtled onto the moor last week.

The crash follows the front page story in the Times a fortnight ago, which reported repeated incidents of rocks being placed on the roads around Princetown and a graffiti attack on a building near the village.

The grafitti carried the threat that more rocks would be placed on the roads, unless the moors were fenced off to protect livestock.

Louis Hodge and his girlfriend Nicola Cook were travelling towards Yelverton at about 7.30pm last Monday, when the accident occurred near Devil's Elbow.

Mr Hodge said they lost control of the car after hitting a rock on the road.

Mr Hodge said: 'We just didn't see it, we were going along and we just started swerving, we went across the road onto the moors and then hit a load of rocks — then I was knocked out.'

The couple managed to crawl out of the car and Nicola rang for help using her mobile phone.

They were taken to Derriford Hospital by ambulance where they spent most of last week — this week Miss Cook was re-admitted for scans.

Mr Hodge said: 'I broke some bones in my foot and damaged my back. Nicola hurt her ribs and she's got a broken ankle.

'The car was mangled right up. My girlfriend's brother went up there and videoed it next day and he said we were lucky to get out alive.'

Mr Hodge said the rock which caused the accident was found wedged underneath the car, which belonged to his girlfriend. The vehicle has now been scrapped.

'She had only had the car a week. We've both lost money because of this. I'm off work for six weeks and on crutches and she's off too,' said Mr Hodge.

Several people from the village have damaged their cars after hitting the rocks and police have appealed for an end to the dangerous practice.

PC Sue Ransley from Tavistock Police Station attended the accident on Monday.

She said rocks have not been reported on this particular stretch of road before and an investigation at the scene did not reveal any evidence.

PC Ransley said: 'Since the grafitti has been removed, we have not been aware of any other stones appearing on the road, but it is something which was happening sporadically before.'

She said police are still investigating but are disappointed that no-one has come forward with any information.

'Obviously we would like to catch whoever is doing this and our inquiries into these dangerous actions are continuing,' she said.