Mr. Worcester missed Mr. England 2009 finals after a car accident

A Mr. England 2009 hopeful blew his chances of winning the title after he was figured out in a car collision while he was on his way to the Mr. England final.

Mr. Worcester,Gareth Woods, was half-an- hour into his journey when the car he was travelling in hit another vehicle on a country lane at about 11am on Monday.

The incident left the 21-year-old, of St John’s, with minor injuries but his friend driving the Volvo estate, Ross Donaldson, from Wales, was taken to hospital after being knocked unconscious when he hit his head on the steering wheel.

Mr Woods, a musician, said: “I was sat in the front passenger seat going over some questions and paperwork for the final and then I just saw a car come around the corner."

“It was one of those things where you can see what’s going to happen but you can’t prevent it.

“I had already braced myself so I was all right.”

Mr Woods said considerable damage was caused to the front of the car and one of his two other friends in the vehicle called for them to be picked up and taken back to Worcester.

It was from home that Mr Woods said he tried calling the Mr England organisers.

He said he was told to be there by 1.30pm but knew he would not be able to make it.

Numerous calls between fellow competitors and other organisers followed and it was at 4pm that he was told he could still compete if he made it to London by 6pm. But again, he said he would not have got there on time.

“I am gutted,” he said.

“I tried everything to get there. I feel as though I have let myself down but the circumstances didn’t permit me to go. It’s just my luck – nothing’s ever plain sailing.”

Mr Woods was hotly tipped to win the Mr England contest, which took place on Monday night alongside the Miss England final, and has now missed out on £5,000 worth of prizes.

Source: worcesternews.co.uk