Elderly gentleman made unexpected call to Samaritans

A driver has been treated for shock after accidentally reversing his car through a charity shop window in Preston. The crash involving a Rover car happened at about 12:45 GMT at the Samaritans shop on Blackpool Road.

The driver, a man in his 80s, was taken to Royal Preston Hospital to be checked over. Two people inside the shop were also treated at the scene for shock.



John Arney, a friend of the driver, said he had got "stuck in reverse". Mr Arney, who had just eaten lunch with the driver in a cafe on the opposite side of the road, said: "It just went to full revs and he shot off backwards in between cars."

Gavin Ramage was cycling along the road and narrowly avoided the vehicle. He said: "He [the driver] seemed to be ok, a bit shocked but ok, he must have been doing about 25 miles an hour backwards."