A DRIVER is recovering in hospital today after his car plunged into the front of a Kesgrave house.It is thought the 22-year-old broke both his feet when his car collided with a house in Lummis Vale, just yards from where Philip Ruter was sitting in his lounge.

By Jessica Nicholls

A DRIVER is recovering in hospital today after his car plunged into the front of a Kesgrave house.

It is thought the 22-year-old broke both his feet when his car collided with a house in Lummis Vale, just yards from where Philip Ruter was sitting in his lounge.

Mr Ruter was in the front lounge of his home at about 8.45pm when the Honda car left Ropes Drive and crashed through his garden fence.

The hatchback car then collided with the front wall of his house and the force of the impact caused some severe damage to the outside bricks and garage door.

Today huge cracks could be seen in the brickwork of the house and Mr Ruter's car which was parked on the drive was also damaged in the smash.

Mr Ruter said: "I just heard a noise, looked outside and saw that the car had smashed into the side of the house. I was quite shocked. It could have been worse. If the car had hit six foot further up, then it would have ended up in my lap."

The car caught on one of Mr Ruter's fence posts, which was dragged along the ground before being flung through the air and smashing his neighbour's car window.

After hearing the car collide with the house, Mr Ruter's neighbours called the police and an ambulance while he called the fire brigade after seeing the driver was still trapped in the car.

"The driver was awake and talking. I think his foot was trapped and he was obviously distressed and in pain," he added.

Three fire crews arrived on the scene and it took firefighters half an hour to free the driver.

He was taken to Ipswich hospital and blood tests were taken from him to test for levels of alcohol.

A police spokeswoman said that the driver has not been arrested and officers will not be able to take a decision on that until the results of the blood tests are back.

N Meanwhile after a separate incident Ipswich police are appealing for witnesses to a hit and run accident to come forward.

The incident happened between 9.30pm and 10.30pm on the evening of Monday, April 22 in Station Street, Ipswich.

A 44-year-old man was crossing the zebra crossing in Station Street, near the junction with Webb Street, when he was struck by a black or dark coloured 'H' reg BMW with darkened windows. The car made off from the scene.

The victim was not seriously hurt.

Anyone with information 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.