AN out-of-control ambulance car on an emergency call ploughed into a couple’s fence.

Amy Cannon, 20, from Polesteads, Vange, said her partner David Yeomans, 22, was woken by a bang in the early hours of yesterday, but thought nothing of it and went back to sleep.

It was only when daylight came they saw the damage and found a note from the ambulance service apologising for it.

Miss Cannon, a healthcare worker at Basildon Hospital, said: “About 3.30am my partner David was woken up suddenly by a loud bang, and didn’t think anything of it, so he went back to sleep.

“About 7.30am we got up and saw a handwritten note from the ambulance service with an apology about the damage to our fence, instructing us to contact insurance company Steels. Two fence panels were knocked down and our garage was skimmed.”

The East of England Ambulance Service sent a duty officer to inspect the fence yesterday afternoon, and told the couple it would take more than two weeks to get it fixed.

The couple say they will fix it themselves for £120, but will ask the ambulance service to cover the cost.

But the couple are annoyed they had to take time off to sort out the damage.

Miss Cannon added: “I can’t believe it. We’ve had to take a day off work because of this. I’ve been told I won’t be reimbursed for time off and neither will my partner, who is a wood technican at Havering College.”

Joy Hale, spokeswoman for the East of England Ambulance Service, said: “As soon as the crew were aware of what had happened, a note was delivered with instructions for the couple to follow with regards to insurance, and a manager attended the scene as well.

“The police were also contacted, while another manager visited the couple yesterday, and a builder assessment was scheduled for the same evening.

“We have done what we can to ensure the damage is dealt with.

“As with any incident such as this, the ambulance service fully investigates the circumstances which caused it, and takes any actions from there.”