A motorist had a lucky escape from a head on collision on a road in Chatham. The accident happened shortly after 5am yesterday on Ash Tree Lane, and caused part of the road to be closed off.

Police and ambulance services attended the scene, but the driver of one vehicle had fled the scene.

James Barden, who was driving the other which was hit, claims the other car was on the wrong side of the road and was travelling very fast.

He said: “They came towards me at such speed that I was unable to avoid the collision, the damage was so severe that I had no use of the front brakes.”

“My face was covered by the airbag so I could not see where I was going so I used my initiative and pulled the handbrake as hard as possible to stop the car, it was only yards from a steep hill down to Luton recreation ground.

Mr Barden added: “Luckily I escaped with minor injuries thanks to the brilliant safety devices on my car.”

He claims that witnesses told him the vehicle was also carrying three passengers.

A police spokesman said: “Kent Police was called at 5.10am on Thursday to a report of a collision involving two vehicles on Ash Tree Lane. Officers attended along with Secamb."

“The driver of one of the vehicles was reported to have left the scene following the collision. No serious injuries were believed to have been reported.”