Mum’s desperate six word cry to kids before car explodes on motorway
Caroline Rodda, 48, her husband Grant, 52, and their two children – Betsy, eight, and Sunny, seven – were travelling home to Hertfordshire from Cheltenham when a warning light flashed up on the dashboard of their Land Rover.
A mum screamed six chilling words to her young children and husband moments before their car exploded at the side of a busy motorway.
Caroline Rodda, 48, her husband Grant, 52, and their two children – Betsy, eight, and Sunny, seven – were travelling home to Hertfordshire from Cheltenham when a warning light flashed up on the dashboard of their Land Rover.
As the Mirror reports, they pulled off the M25 to check and the light went off but when they set off again, they heard a loud bang and a flame shot out. The panicked family stopped the car again and rushed out as Caroline yelled “Run as fast as you can”.
Caroline, a stay-at-home mum, told MyLondon : “We were driving up a hill when there was a loud bang at the front of the car and a big flame shot out the front. I woke the kids up, who were in the back of the car, and said: ‘Everybody get out of the car now. Run as fast as you can.’
“The kids were absolutely hysterical. My dog’s seat belt was stuck, and I was screaming trying to get him out.”
The family bought their car in March 2022 and it had last had an MOT in February 2024.. After getting everyone out of the car safely, Grant, a company director, called the fire service to inform them of the “terrifying” experience.
The family was stranded on a pitch-black narrow country road in sub-zero temperatures. They lost their car and all possessions in it including newly-bought Christmas presents, with a value of around £12,000.
Caroline received an email from Land Rover saying they would be closing their investigation as she had a payment settlement with her insurance company. From the settlement, the family received £44,000 for the car, which was originally purchased for £70,000, and £300 for possessions lost.
A spokesperson for Land Rover wrote to Caroline: “We will not be able to communicate with you any further as you are no longer the owner of the vehicle.”
The accident has deeply affected the family, Caroline said. The family has been nervous getting into cars since and her daughter, Betsy has been struggling with panic attacks at school. She added: “I’ve been having counselling because of the incident. At the time, I was wondering what would’ve happened if the doors had not opened, or if we didn’t get out of the car in time.”