This was the scene as an elderly driver popped to the shop in his slippers - and ended up crashing into someone’s front garden in Herne Bay.

James Pearson had just fetched his newspaper from the Co-Op in Reculver Road, when he lost control of his Ford Fiesta at 6am on Monday.

He reversed the car over the kerb and left it wedged in the front lawn of stunned homeowner Sue Ktores, who remained unaware of the smash until the Gazette knocked on her door four hours later.

Mr Pearson had tried to reverse out of Terminus Drive, but he panicked when another car approached from behind, lost control, and spun 180 degrees before crashing through the garden fence.

Ms Ktores was shocked to discover the car abandoned on her front lawn at 10am, with a phone number left in the windscreen and a note through her letterbox.

She said: “I was in the back of the house, so didn’t know this had happened at all.

“Cars are always reversing out of Terminus Drive into the road after going to the shops, but I’ve not seen this before. I did have roses growing under there, but probably not any more.”

Mr Pearson had also left his gloves and walking stick neatly on the back seat of his Ford Fiesta before walking home.

He said: “I was reversing out of Terminus Drive when another car came along the road. I spun around and couldn’t do anything about it.

“I sorted the insurance out but the AA recovery wasn’t able to move the car. I left my telephone number. A recovery vehicle was on its way later that day.”

Linda Salerno had been driving along Beltinge Road on her morning commute to Erith.

She tried to swerve and dodge Mr Pearson’s car, but the pair collided and she was forced to stop.

Mrs Salerno, of Glenbervie Drive, said: “I’m still a bit shaken. I thought ‘what is he doing?’

“His reverse lights went off and he seemed to move forward, so I drove forward, only for him to reverse out.

“I swerved across the road to avoid him but I must have clipped the car. We got out and sorted insurance details.

“He seemed confused and was still wearing his slippers.

He said: ‘Do you think I could drive this home?’”

When asked about what had happened to his car, Mr Pearson added: “I don’t give details out like that over the telephone. It’s all been sorted, and I’m pleased.”