A game of sudoku ended in a trip to the hospital for a Staplehurst pensioner when a car ploughed through his living room window last night.

Alan Kemp, 64 escaped with only minor scratches when the vehicle careened into his house in Corner Farm Road at 5.30pm.

Emergency services, including two fire engines and three ambulances were called to the scene to free the trapped driver, understood to be a neighbour who lost control of their vehicle.

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Mr Kemp said: "I was in the armchair next to the wall. I was doing a sudoku puzzle when I heard a loud bang and I was thrown across the room.

"Fortunately, my wife Eve was in the kitchen at the time serving up dinner."

The former engineer was taken to Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury alongside his 73-year-old wife as a precaution. They were joined by the driver who also had minor injuries.

Mr Kemp credits his lucky escape to the fact a large plastic bin was outside his living room, acting as an extra safety barrier.

A day later the car remains untouched and with heavy rains expected the father of three says he has been told by Maidstone Borough Council repairs cannot start until a building surveyor visits the property after the weekend.

Mr Kemp added that his insurance company was not classing the situation as an emergency and they would not assess the damage until after the weekend.

He said: "We can't stay in our front bedroom as the car went into one of the supporting, load-bearing pillars of our house.

"My wife is staying with friends and I am sleeping in the little bedroom because of security.

"The room is open to the elements, anyone can get and with the inclement weather the situation will only worsen."

"My wife who is of a nervous disposition, of course is very upset about it all. Myself I am stoic about it because I need to get the things sorted out."

Neighbour Cliff Wishart was at home at the time of the crash. He said: "My son heard a bang and told me someone had driven into the house across the road.

"All the emergency services had been called by the time I got there."