IPSWICH: It could have been so much worse.

The wife of a pub landlord knocked over in a horror crash today told how she feared the worst when she saw her husband lying in the street just moments after he was hit by a car.

Shaun De Silva was walking to get a paper with a friend when the nightmare unfolded in St Matthew’s Street, at the junction with Barrack Lane on Sunday evening.

An “eternal gentleman”, the 51-year-old, who lives in Orford Street, was walking on the roadside of the pavement with a female neighbour, when a car hit him from behind, throwing him across the road.

Police and paramedics were called to the crash at around 6.30pm on Sunday.

Adam Rembelski, 26, was arrested soon after and has been charged with drink-driving.

Mr De Silva, the landlord of the Brewers Arms pub which is around the corner from the accident site in Orford Street, is being treated in Ipswich Hospital after suffering a string of nasty injuries.

He is in plaster after the impact broke his knee, thumb and left him suffering excruciating pain across his back and shoulder. He is expected to have an operation today to help alleviate some of his pain.

His shocked wife Lorraine said: “I thought I had lost him, it could have been so much worse.

“He was with a friend, Zoe. She said he went flying.

“When I got there he was lying face down, there was blood everywhere. He can’t remember what happened at the moment.

“Shaun believes in fate – he told me it wasn’t his time.”

She said doctors have told the couple they are surprised Mr De Silva was not more seriously hurt.

“He was lucky,” added Mrs De Silva. “He should have bought a lottery ticket.

“Providing it is just broken bones, they will mend. He is having more tests to make sure there is nothing else wrong with him.

“He is the glue that holds everything together, he is my rock. I don’t know what I would do without him.”

Mrs De Silva said she has been inundated with calls from friends offering support.

n Send your messages of support to Shaun. Call the newsdesk on 01473 324790 or send an e-mail to starnews@archant.co.uk