A homeowner has spoken for the first time of the terrifying moment a car crashed into the front of her house.

Tracy Hinkley was sitting in her lounge watching televison with her four dogs when it happened.

“I was showered with glass and there was glass and bits of rubble all around me,” she said.

“It was like an explosion. The front of the house came in and the bay window was completely gone.”

The house was plunged into darkness by the incident in Smallhythe Road, Tenterden.

The car which hit the Hinkley’s 18th century Grade II listed house also severed the gas mains to the three-storey property.

Around six houses were evacuated by emergency services because of the gas leak.

Residents diverted traffic away from Smallhythe Road until emergency services arrived.

Mrs Hinkley, 48, was alone in the house with the couple’s dogs when the crash happened.

Her husband David, 53, a carpenter, had gone to the nearby William Caxton pub.

“Normally I would have gone with him, but I decided to stay at home,” said Mrs Hinkley. “After the car hit, I was in a daze and did not know what had happened.

“Apparently I started screaming. A neighbour managed to get in through the window as the front door was barricaded by the impact. I was in a state of shock and started being sick.”

“It was like an explosion. The front of the house came in and the bay window was completely gone” - Tracy Hinkley

Mrs Hinkley was got out through the back of the house.

Firefighters evacuated those living nearby and put a temporary plug on the gas.

Engineers from gas distribution company SGN disconnected the gas supply to the Hinkley’s house and reconnected it on Saturday.

The incident which led to the crash started at Tesco, just up Smallhythe Road from the Hinkleys' house.

A customer is reported to have become abusive when staff refused to serve him.

The police were called but officers had not arrived by the time he left the store and got into his car.

He drove out of the car park and down Smallhythe Road, hitting wooden posts at the side of the road and crashing into the Hinkley’s house opposite.

A police spokesman said a 21-year old man from Cranbrook had been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and bailed until Sunday, January 31.