A motorist who was hit by an elderly driver who was uninsured and travelling in the wrong direction on the A2 has slammed a police decision not to take legal action.

Dharma Hayre was able to swerve from the path of the on-coming Nissan Micra as she drove her Mini Cooper along the coastbound carriageway at the Darenth Interchange towards Gravesend.

The 47-year-old, who compared the incident to the Fast and Furious action films, was later told her quick-thinking had averted a serious, head-on collision.

However, despite the other elderly motorist having no insurance and continuing the wrong way until her vehicle ended up wedged between two lorries on the slip road from the M25, Kent Police has decided not to prosecute.

"She went and hit two lorries and that’s the only way she was stopped. A police officer told me I was lucky I wasn’t injured more and that it would have been a head-on collision if I hadn’t reacted so quickly"

In a letter to Miss Hayre, a case review officer states the matter has been “carefully considered” and in light of the injuries sustained by the 83-year-old from Surrey and her driving licence since being revoked, no further action would be taken.

They also advised Miss Hayre, who now has to pay her £250 insurance excess and face an increased premium, to contact the Motor Insurers’ Bureau for possible recompense, or take her own civil action.

But Miss Hayre, who lives in Darnley Street, Gravesend, has criticised not only the decision not to charge the pensioner but also the police investigation.

She claims that when she dialled 999 after the incident, which occurred at about 10.15pm on Friday, October 23, she was told by the operator that officers were “too busy” to attend.

However, police have said they received a number of calls and officers were already en route to the scene of the subsequent collision with the two lorries.

Miss Hayre said: “I wasn’t calling them because I wanted them to tend to me.

“I was calling them to stop her [the other driver]. But I was told by the operator they were too busy to come out and I should take my documents to my local police station, even though I wasn’t at fault.

“Now I’ve been told that she isn’t being charged with dangerous driving, or reckless driving, or anything. Surely it is in the public interest [to prosecute]?

“She didn’t stop after she hit my car. She went and hit two lorries and that’s the only way she was stopped.

"A police officer told me I was lucky I wasn’t injured more and that it would have been a head-on collision if I hadn’t reacted so quickly.

“The police should be making an example of her, irrespective of her licence being revoked.”

Miss Hayre, who works as a cleaning contractor, had just passed the Darenth Interchange junction and was driving in the middle lane at about 60-65mph when she spotted the car heading towards her.

“I saw these white lights coming towards me when I knew it should have been red tail lights,” said Miss Hayre.

“She had her full beam on. Fortunately, the first lane was clear and I quickly managed to swerve.

“But she caught my wing mirror, which flicked back and hit my car. I don’t know how I got my car over to the hard shoulder, I think instinct took over.”

Miss Hayre said two witnesses stopped to check she was okay.

As well as her wing mirror being knocked off, her car also sustained damage to a shock absorber and the car has now been taken away to be assessed by her insurers.

She also suffered whiplash, bruised ribs, back and arms, and has not been able to work since.

In the letter, Kent Police said the other driver suffered fractures to her neck and spine.

But Miss Hayre said although the injuries sounded serious, she contacted Darent Valley Hospital to be told the woman had been discharged within a week.

A Kent Police spokeswoman confirmed the elderly motorist had no insurance and has had her licence revoked. She also said officers received a report a vehicle wing mirror had been damaged by a person driving the wrong way on the A2 near Darenth on October 23.

The spokeswoman added: “Police received a number of calls and officers were already en route to the incident involving a car driving the wrong way and attended the scene of the collision between the car and two lorries.

“The carriageway was blocked and the driver of the car travelling the wrong way, who was in her 80s, sustained injuries that required hospital treatment.

“As the informant was not injured and their vehicle was driveable, they were advised to attend a police station at a convenient time to report the damage to their vehicle.”