A SMALL patch of ice on a notoriously dangerous bend caused TWELVE road accidents in ONE night.

Residents in Vicarage Lane in Chigwell heard the succession of crashes between midnight and 7.30am on Wednesday, January 19, which only came to an end when Daniel Penton, 27, crashed his van into another.

Even though he regularly uses the road, Mr Penton was still caught out by the bend.

He said: “As I was driving along I wasn’t doing any more than 20mph. Then my van started skidding sideways as another one came round the bend.

“There was already broken glass on the pavement, someone's headlight was in the road. The conditions are appalling.”

Mr Penton was left with bruised ribs after the crash and his van was written off.

Celina Jefcoate, 45, of Vicarage Lane said: “The lamppost was hit, our bins on the pavement were knocked down the road, our neighbour's hedge took yet more punishment, and I saw at least six cars spin across the road and mount the pavement opposite.

“The road is very narrow and dangerous with poor visibility anyway, and if there is a heavy frost ice can form.”

Accidents in sub-zero temperatures at the site are so common that in March last year Mrs Jefcoate, 45, started filming from an upstairs window and recorded four cars leaving the road in just 10 minutes.

She added: “The council is aware the road is dangerous at higher speeds – when they increased the limit to 40mph, signs were put up on the two bends here advising 20mph was the safest speed through this section.”

Neighbour Andrea MacArthur, 39, said: “Firstly we need to be gritted without fail, and secondly, they need to do something to get the speed down.

“It'll take a fatal collision before they take it seriously.”

An Essex County Council spokeswoman said: “The speed limit on Vicarage Lane was increased in 2003 following an assessment which deemed that a 40mph limit was most appropriate.

“Currently, there are signs in place which give an advisory speed limit of 20mph at the bends, but this is not mandatory.

“Essex County Council highways officers will carry out a further to see if this road meets the criteria for a lower speed limit and any necessary action will be taken following this.”

Watch the video of the road conditions in March last year here.