"SOMEBODY'S going to die," a resident on Dudley's Buffery Road told the News after a car smashed into parked cars on a notoriously busy road - leaving a man with serious injuries.

The incident, which happened at 3.24pm last Thursday (April 5), saw the road closed for a number of hours and made national news headlines as it was reported that a man had been seen armed with machetes after the impact.

Police say the incident was not terror related but believed to be a dispute between two groups.

The injured man, who was hurt as a black Renault hurtled into parked cars outside people's homes, is believed to be an elderly resident who got caught up in the drama.

A neighbour told the News: "He was at the back of the vehicle and this black car came along and hit their car, shoved it backwards and trapped him between that and the car parked next to it. It's absolutely awful.

"To move a car like that into another car you’ve got to be moving it. It took the front wheel off the black vehicle - you don’t do that at 30mph."

The man remained in hospital in a serious but stable condition as the News went to press.

West Midlands Police deployed firearms officers to the scene following the incident but no-one had been arrested. A spokesman said: "Residents should be reassured that there is no wider threat to the public."

But people living in the street say the high speeds notched up on the road is a big issue.

A resident, who did not want to be named, said: "I’ve complained to the council on more than one occasion and they’ve come back and said police say the average speed is 28.5mph.

But he added: "Sometimes you can sit here and hear a car come up the road with the engine screaming and you’re waiting for the bang."

He said some of the motorists going past "are just mental" - adding: "They've been touching 80."

"Somebody’s going to die. I can see it happening."

"Something needs to be done. We keep getting fobbed off, nobody seems to want to know. I’m dreading the day that somebody gets killed."

Ward councillor Steve Waltho said he had tried to get something done about the speed previously. He told the News: "Two years ago we had a speed check on that road and we asked them last year to look at it again."

He said in light of last Thursday's crash he would be working with colleagues to put together a further case for action to be taken to improve safety on the road which pupils from nearby Sledmere Primary School have to cross on their way to and from school.

Fellow ward councillor Shaukat Ali added: "I think we need to review it with the council officers and police and if anything needs to be done we'll be pushing for that."

A spokesman for Dudley Council said the authority was aware of the incident and added: "The speed of traffic is a concern, and we have recently been in discussions with the police to ask officers to undertake a review of speeds along that road.”

Meanwhile - West Midlands Police are appealing for anyone with information about last Thursday's incident to contact them on 101, quoting log 1533 of 05/04/2018.

Inspector Ade George said: “We are continuing to appeal to anyone who saw what happened to come forward and get in contact with us. 

"If you were driving along Buffery Road at the time of the incident and were using a dash cam, we would like to hear from you.”

The News understands a similar incident unfolded in the area a few weeks ago. Two men were reportedly seen carrying 18-inch long machetes immediately after a Mercedes van smashed into a BMW near Buffery Park.

Anyone with information can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.