Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
My foot slipped
Driver trapped for hour after car overturns
This was the dramatic scene when a driver lost control of his car while parking.
Customers at the nearby Old City Bar rushed to the aid of 70-year-old Barry Clements after his Citroen overturned in Oaten Hill Place on Tuesday evening.
Emergency services were called and, despite being stuck inside the car for about an hour, the pensioner managed to escape his ordeal relatively unscathed.
His partner, former city councillor Michael Steed, pictured sitting beside the overturned car, said: “my first thought was that Barry must have blacked out but he says he remembers his foot slipping.”
Mr Clements says he was trying to park outside his house when he hit a Nissan Micra and ploughed into a garden, sending his car spinning onto its roof.
Mr Steed added: “He was parking the car and moving it forward to occupy the space he usually parks in.
“He said his foot became trapped and the car bounced off the one in
and the car bounced off the one in front then hit the garden wall and flipped.
“It must have been a very frightening experience,” he added. “His leg was trapped for more than an hour.
“We both are quite shook up. We didn’t sleep well last night.”
Mr Clements was taken to Ashford’s William Harvey Hospital and was discharged after checks.
Mr Steed, 77, who lives with Mr Clements in Dover Street, said: “The neighbours were very helpful. They managed to get everything out of the car, including my wheelchair.”