Bumper car enthusiast Peter Ward had hundreds of social media users baffled when a photo he staged after a car crash appeared on Facebook.

Mr Ward, of Salmon Crescent, Minster, was driving along the seafront in one of his specially adapted dodgems and came across the scene of a crash in Marine Parade, Minster, on Saturday.

A silver car had reportedly sped off after colliding with a Ford Fiesta near the ramp on to the shingle bank.

Mr Ward decided to park his dodgem in front of the damaged vehicle for a “cheeky photo op” which he also hoped would help police if appeared on social media.

Later, photos taken by passers-by wondering what had happened appeared on Facebook with the 54-year-old also posting a picture himself.

Asked if he thought the photo might be viewed as being in bad taste, Mr Ward said although the driver of the Fiesta seemed to be in shock at first, “I asked if she was alright and she was fine.

"She sort of laughed when I was doing it.”

Mr Ward, who featured on KentOnline in October for his collection of around 40 vintage bumper cars, said he also asked a policewoman if it was alright to take the picture.

The hoax dodgem and car head-on collision attracted a lot of attention from people along the seafront, he added.

A police spokesman said: “It was reported that one of the vehicles, described as a silver Peugeot 206, did not stop at the scene.

"Ambulance Service attended and any injuries suffered were thought to have been minor.”

Video: Meet the man who's devoted to dodgems

Officers carried out a search of the area and recovered a vehicle and stopped two men.

A 30-year-old man from Sheerness was arrested in connection with the incident and on suspicion of drugs offences.

A 24-year-old man from Sheerness was arrested on suspicion of drugs offences.

Both have been bailed until August 17 pending further inquiries.

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