A WITNESS who saw an Aston Martin being driven minutes before a crash that seriously injured a family of three thought ‘that’s an accident waiting to happen’, a court has heard.

Peter Mead, Elizabeth Hutchings and their daughter, 14-year-old Saffron Mead, were hurt as they attempted to cross the A337 between Lymington and Brockenhurst on Saturday, September 27 2014.

It is claimed they were struck by a car driven by Kyle Lloyd, of Gosport Street in Lymington.

Simon Jones, prosecuting the case at Bournemouth Crown Court, said the defendant, now 30, was travelling at an average speed of 63mph between the train station in Brockenhurst and the site of the crash, outside Setleyridge Vineyard.

The speed limit on the stretch moves from 30mph to 40mph.

Mr Jones alleged that Lloyd was seen “accelerating hard” as he drove away from the railway station.

One motorist told police the defendant was travelling so fast that “it was incredible”, while another said he heard the sound of the engine “screaming”, it is alleged.

A third witness, who later heard sirens pass by as he sat in a pub garden, was to think to himself ‘that could have been the Aston Martin’, the court heard.

Mr Mead and his family were returning to their caravan at the Hollands Wood Campsite when the collision took place.

The trio, who had been on a bike ride, had dismounted and were walking across the carriageway at the time of the crash.

Mr Mead sustained a fractured lower leg and cuts and bruises.

He was flown to Southampton General Hospital by air ambulance after being resuscitated by paramedics.

Ms Hutchings sustained two broken thigh bones and a broken ankle.

Saffron sustained a fractured jaw and injuries to her teeth.

Police investigators claim that, had Lloyd been travelling at the 40mph speed limit, he should have been able to stop between 24 and 45 metres before the location of the crash.

The defendant denies three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The trial continues.