A WOMAN had to be rescued from underneath a car her own husband was driving.

The woman, in her late sixties, was trapped under the car, in Ferndale Road, Rayleigh, for more than 40 minutes.

Fire crews from Rayleigh Weir and Hawkwell used specialist cutting and hydraulic lifting equipment to free her.

The Essex and Herts air ambulance landed in the couple’s back garden, but the woman was eventually taken by land ambulance to Southend Hospital.

The couple’s son, who asked not to be named, told the Echo: “My dad’s still very upset about what happened, but we’re just glad my mum’s OK.

“She’s got a fractured wrist, which in a cast, and we’re just making sure she can get about.

“All the emergency services were amazing, they got here within minutes."

The drama unfolded at about 6.40pm on Tuesday, with the woman freed by 7.20pm.

Sub-officer Rick Williams, from Rayleigh Weir station, said: “When we arrived she was trapped underneath the car.

“It was very serious at that moment but, as soon as we raised the car, under the guidance of the paramedics, she responded very well straight away.

“You cannot steam in and lift the car straight away in an incident like this, so we did it very slowly and worked well with paramedic crews to ensure her safety.

“When it was lifted, she started talking with the paramedics and she was more concerned about her husband, who was the driver of the vehicle.

“The air ambulance landed in their back garden but fortunately it was not needed and was sent away.”