A Letchworth motorist inadvertently knocked over his wife while reversing sharply off his driveway yesterday – before a crash into railings saved him from a 5ft drop.

Emergency crews including the East Anglian Air Ambulance and both engines from Baldock & Letchworth fire station rushed to Wilbury Road after the freak accident at 5.40pm, which did not involve any other vehicles.

Thankfully neither husband nor wife was seriously injured, though both were taken to hospital to be looked over.

Fire watch commander Julian Stanley told the Comet: “The elderly gentleman somehow managed to reverse off his drive at speed.

“He went across the next-door neighbours’ drive, across the road and into some railings – which protected him from going into a culvert, which would have been a 5ft drop.

“He was OK, just shaken up and he had a cut to his head.

“While reversing off the drive he knocked his wife down, who also needed treatment for a cut to her hand and head.”

The driver was initially thought to be trapped in the vehicle, but this was found not to be the case. Firefighters assisted paramedics from two ambulances and a rapid response vehicle.

The air ambulance landed at about 6.10pm, but was stood down as none of the injuries were deemed serious.

An ambulance service spokesman confirmed that two patients were taken to Stevenage’s Lister Hospital for further care, adding that neither was thought to be in a life-threatening or serious condition.