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Man arrested on suspicion of drink driving after being rescued from crash off A299 Thanet Way

11:00, 07 March 2014

A man has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving after crashing his car off the A299 Thanet Way.

His car had hit the central reservation then veered off the road and flipped over a hedge and into a field.

Fire crews cut the driver out of the mangled car
Fire crews cut the driver out of the mangled car

Fire crews had to cut through the mangled wreckage to reach the 59-year-old after the accident near the Thornden Wood Road bridge over the dual-carriageway on Friday, March 7.

Fire crews worked for an hour to free the man from the mangled wreckage of the car.
Fire crews worked for an hour to free the man from the mangled wreckage of the car.

Ben Leeding, 26, was driving in his lorry towards Thanet before 10am and pulled over when he saw clouds of smoke rising from the field.

He said: “I parked up and saw the crashed car. I tried to get him out of the car, but I couldn’t as it was in too much of a mess,.

“I supported his neck to make sure he didn’t hurt himself, before the ambulance and fire crews arrived.”

The car had flipped more than 50 feet and had gone through a fence leaving debris scattered in the bushes.

Emergency crews at scene of crash on the Thanet Way
Emergency crews at scene of crash on the Thanet Way

Police closed off the inside lane while two fire crews and paramedics worked for an hour to free the man.

South East Coast Ambulance spokesman Rich Airey said: "We sent two ambulances and an ambulance car to the incident at 10am.

"We had one patient in his 50s who had to be cut from the vehicle and suffered a minor head injury. His injuries were not thought to be life threatening.

"But as his vehicle was going at some speed he was taken as a priority to the Medway Maritime Hospital for further checks."

Police closed off the inside lane of the A299 near the layby near the Thornden Wood Road bridge
Police closed off the inside lane of the A299 near the layby near the Thornden Wood Road bridge

No other vehicles were involved. Police press officer Sally Smith said the man has been bailed on suspicion of drink driving and bailed until next month.

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