A simulated road traffic accident was set up in Abergavenny Fire Station to highlight the grim reality in wake of a recent spate of serious accidents involving young people.

Around 120 local people witnessed the simulated car crash set up by fire crews in light of a spate of local incidents which have claimed the lives of two men and left four teenagers with serious injuries.

The event, held by South Wales Fire and Rescue, involved a presentation underlining the cause and effect road traffic incidents have on those involved, and the stark scenario such crashes entail.

Spectators gathered at Abergavenny Fire Station to witness a realistic ‘extraction’ which saw actors cut out of crashed vehicles by fire crews from Abergavenny and Ebbw Vale using a hydraulic rescue tool.

The teams used the tool to bite through windscreen pillars and free the trapped ‘victims’ from the overturned vehicles, in a rare opportunity for spectators to see an often distressing sequence.

The display is used as a regular training event for the fire service, who are first on call to deal with around 8,000 road accidents in Wales every year.

James Cunningham, a fire service crew manager, said the event was crucial in raising awareness of such accidents which claimed the lives of 103 people in Wales in 2014.

According to figures available for 2014, 1,160 people in Wales received serious injuries as a result of road traffic accidents, although the figure fell slightly from the year previous.

Mr Cunningham, and PCSO Amanda Yung, are set to hold another event in the coming months, likely to be at Abergavenny’s Fairfield car park.

Mr Cunningham said, “The next event will be aimed directly at young drivers aged 17-25, although all will be welcome.” He added that further details will be made available in the next few weeks.