A 17-YEAR-old today escaped unharmed after he lost control of his car which was then hit by a train.The accident happened in Leigh-on-Sea, in Essex, at around 12.

A 17-YEAR-old today escaped unharmed after he lost control of his car which was then hit by a train.

The accident happened in Leigh-on-Sea, in Essex, at around 12.30am and neither the train driver nor the four passengers in the train were injured.

The teenager, who was driving a Ford Escort, managed to get out of the vehicle before it was hit by the train on the junction with New Road and Laurel Road.

The train was on the main line linking Southend to London and was closed until 4am.