NEAT Nicholas Fleming was hoping to make a clean get away after using a drive-through car wash.

But it turned out to be a less than sud-cessful venture when the car’s back window caved in.

Mr Fleming’s calamitous brush with misfortune occurred during a trip to ARC Car Wash in Northfleet.

The 44-year-old’s peugeot 306 emerged from the cleaning machine with a shattered rear windscreen and buckled wiper.

Staff at the Grove Road business vacuumed out the glass and passed on details to the machine’s insurers.

But Mr Fleming was concerned that the machine was allowed to continue operating.

Mr Fleming said: “If I had children in the car I hate to think what would have happened. I was beeping my hooter to try and let management know but no-one came to help.”

Site operator at ARC Car Wash, David Smart said the machine doesn’t go wrong and other aspects must be the fault.

He said: “The machine is not owned by me, all we do is operate it.

“It could have been a fault with the car or the heat. It could have been a number of things.”

Mr Fleming, from the Isle of Grain, is unhappy at the apparent care-free attitude.

He added: “The machine made a huge bang and the window shattered into little bits. The manager allowed the machine to carry on with no warning signs up. It could have happened again.”

Repairs on the R reg car are now expected to total more than the car’s £1,200 value.