THE father of Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton lost control of a £330,000 Porsche before crashing into a hedge and an empty children's playground, it has emerged.

THE father of Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton lost control of a £330,000 Porsche before crashing into a hedge and an empty children's playground, it has emerged.

No-one was hurt in the smash, but thousands of pounds of damage was caused to the powerful sports car - which belonged to someone else.

Anthony Hamilton, 48, had the accident near his home in Burnham Green, Hertfordshire, yesterday afternoon.

He said that the crash was his first in almost 30 years, and apologised for the damage caused.