A PENSIONER has told how she awoke in the early hours after a driver ploughed into her garden wall... before reversing out and fleeing the scene.

The incident, which was captured on CCTV, happened shortly before 12.30am on Sunday.

Her neighbour’s wall was also damaged.

Andrea Wellham, 71, who lives with husband Ron, 77, said: “It was like an explosion.

“I jumped out of bed and looked out the window but I didn’t really see anything.

“I got back into bed and wondered what the hell that noise was.

“A neighbour then knocked on the window and asked us if we had seen the wall.

“I can’t believe they were able to drive off with all the rumble and bricks underneath the car.”

The incident marks another strike of bad luck for the couple, who were recently burgled and have been enduring works from City Fibre, which knocked out all of the street lights on the road.

The couple also recently had their driveway done which has since been destroyed by the careless driver.

Andrea added: “The driver hit the lamp post which had only just been repaired last week after it wasn’t working since November.

“The driver has hit the post, gone through fencing and come through garden walls and hit the telegraph pole.”

The 71-year-old reported the incident to Essex Police online having been told immediate response officers were dealing with a serious incident elsewhere.

She added: “It’s not an easy form to do. My neighbour is 85 and hasn’t even got a computer. If this had just affected her then she would have no chance.” The couple moved into the property at Hampton Gardens 17 years ago when it was a quiet side road.

It has since become very busy, with several residents describing it as a race track for boy racers.

Andrea added: “There is no entrance into Rochford Road which pushes more traffic down our road.

“We get car transporters down here, cement mixers - the lot. It’s a side road built in the 1930s.

“I feel it would take someone to be killed before the council actually start listening.”

Essex Police was contacted for comment.