A suspected drink driver is to appear in court after a crash destroyed an historic horse trough on a roundabout.

Wreckage can still be seen in Echo Square, Gravesend, where a car hit the stone structure, thought to date back to 1903.

Police were called to the accident at around 3.37am on Sunday where the driver was arrested and taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Austin Smith, 25, of Dargate Road, Dargate, was later charged with drink driving.

He was bailed to appear before Medway Magistrates’ Court on May 14.

The trough itself has had a history of being damaged having been crashed into at least twice before in the last 40 years.

Councillor David Beattie (Con), who represents Woodlands ward on Gravesham council, said: “I’ve lived in Gravesend all my life and remember walking past the Echo as a young boy with the trough outside.

“It must’ve been about 40 years ago now when it was crashed into when it was outside the old Post Office now Clayton Stirling Accounts.

“It didn’t seem much longer after that it was crashed into again and when it was rebuilt it was moved to where it is now.

“I was only elected a year ago and still finding my feet but when it was ruined before I remember the council said they would repair and I’ll make sure when my group meet again I’ll raise it up again.”