This is the moment a car careered through traffic lights and smashed into a tram in Croydon town centre.

Your Local Guardian:

At least four people were injured in the crash, which happened during torrential rain last night.

Police, paramedics and firefighters were called to Wellesley Road just before 10pm yesterday as Storm Imogen began to hammer south London.

In the heart-in-mouth CCTV footage, filmed by Mark Ellis, the tram can be seen coming out of Station Road into Wellesley Road, as a car waits for it to pass at the traffic lights. 

Almost unseen, a silver car darts into the left of the frame - without appearing to slow down it races through the lights and smashes into the oncoming tram, by the driver's cabin.

A firefighter from Croydon station said the impact of the collision "was so great it lifted and moved the tram about 15 feet" off the tracks.

A man and a woman, believed to be travelling in the car, were taken to St George's Hospital as a priority, a London Ambulance (LAS) spokeswoman said.

Two further patients were taken to Croydon University Hospital.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman originally said a baby was among the injured, although later said they were unsure if this was the case.

No one was thought to have suffered life-threatening injuries.

It is not the first high-speed road crash at that junction that Mr Ellis has caught on film.

One video uploaded to YouTube today, dated December 13 last year, shows a speeding car make a list ditch attempt to turn into Station Road before skidding out and smashing into a traffic light.

The passengers of the car appear to escpape without serious injuries.

In another, from last May, a car appears to crash into a junction box at high speeds, leaving it smouldering by the side of the road.

 

Trams between Reeves Corner and East Croydon were suspended last night while emergency services dealt with the crash.

The LAS spokeswoman said: "We were called at 9.57pm on February 7 to Wellesley Road to reports of a road traffic collision involving a car and a tram.

"We sent multiple resources including a paramedic in a car, three ambulance crews, and an incident response officer to the scene.

"We treated four people at the scene. A man and a woman were taken as a priority to St George's hospital, Tooting and two further patients were taken to Croydon University Hospital."

Did you see what happened? Call the newsdesk on 020 8722 6388 or email daniel.omahony@newsquest.co.uk