08 October 2023 , 21:58
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Freddie Flintoff's horror crash happened when he was driving a car at only 22mph, it has been reported.
The 45-year-old former cricketer, who was the England Cricket captain, has been rarely seen since the horrific accident which, last year, left him with facial injuries and broken ribs. It was originally reported that the father of four was driving at a breakneck speed of 130mph in an open-topped three-wheeled Morgan Super 3 when it flipped over at the Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey.
Freddie, who is married to Rachael Wools, was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. This meant that his face was in direct contact with the ground causing it to scrape across the coarse area However, new details claimed he was actually driving at a 'crawling' speed.
The crash left him with facial injuries and broken ribs (BBC/Lee Brimble)A source claimed to The Mail on Sunday this weekend: “People talk about this ‘high-speed crash’ but although the consequences were horrendous, it was no such thing. The car was actually going at 22mph when it flipped over. There is a lot of footage and it has been carefully looked at.”
According to the source, there was nothing wrong with the car he was driving and that it was 'road legal' without a helmet. "They had only just set off and were on the first corner when the car flipped and he scraped his face along the tarmac," the insider continued. Mirror have contacted Freddie's representatives and BBC for comment.
Top Gear's Freddie Flintoff seen for first time since horror crash on test track
It comes after BBC bosses were accused of "failing to properly look after" Freddie, who was filming an episode of the hit series at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome. It has been claimed that Freddie became injured when he was sharing his opinion of a car he was driving for a review segment.
Following a review into the health and safety of the show, the results of which will reportedly not be published, the BBC was accused of failing to protect Freddie. Now, Top Gear is reportedly set to be axed after 46 years. BBC bosses are thought to have made the "tough decision" following the crash which almost killed presenter Andrew Freddie Flintoff, according to reports.
Sources say there is "no way it can continue" after the horror smash last year and that production staff had been debating the show's future for the last ten months. "There’s a feeling it would be in bad taste to continue making such dangerous material. It's a tough decision but they know deep down it’s the right one as hardcore fans of the show won’t want to see a lightweight version," the source recently claimed.