AN IPSWICH couple had a lucky escape today when a police car crashed into their front garden minutes before they were due to be in it.Jim and his wife, former mayoress Gillian Auton where about to load bags into their Volvo estate car when the police car, on its way to an incident, smashed into a wall outside their Colchester Road home.

AN IPSWICH couple had a lucky escape today when a police car crashed into their front garden minutes before they were due to be in it.

Jim and his wife, former mayoress Gillian Auton where about to load bags into their Volvo estate car when the police car, on its way to an incident, smashed into a wall outside their Colchester Road home.

The police officer driving the car was uninjured in the incident but the 4am crash demolished a six-foot section of wall and sent bricks flying across the Auton's front garden.

The police car also damaged a wall at the front of the house next door and slight damage to a Vauxhall Vectra.

Mr Auton, 65, said he heard a massive bang as he was getting ready to drive his wife, former Mayor of Ipswich Gillian Auton, to Ipswich railway station.

He said: "My wife was already up and I was about to get up to drive her to the station as she is off to France for the day.

"I heard a big bang and suddenly my car alarm was going off. It sounded like a massive clap of thunder.

"I went outside and saw bricks everywhere and damage to our car. I was told to go back inside while the police cleared up the situation.

Mr Auton said the car was travelling west along Colchester Road and police told him that the car was attending an incident in Westerfield Road.

Flying bricks shattered the rear windscreen of the family car and there was brick damage to the driveway.

Mr Auton added: "The police cleared up the mess while we were inside and told us not to drive the car as there may be damage to the brake pads."

A police spokesman said the Colchester Road incident involved a Vauxhall Omega police car which was responding to an incident.

He said: "Damaged was caused to a number of vehicles and a wall. We are waiting for a full report from the officer involved."

"The driver of the car was taken to accident and emergency and was checked over but was not seriously injured."

Mr Auton, a former seaman said: "It's a bit of a shock really but nobody has been seriously injured.

"Luckily my wife was in the bath – if it had been half an hour later she could have been out the front loading bags into the car.

"The whole thing is quite amusing really – I don't know how else you could react. Worse things do happen at sea - although I do feel sorry for the driver of the police car."

Mr Auton said his wife, who was mayor in 1986-1987 was eventually taken to Ipswich railway station by police officers and continued on her day trip to France.