Driver escapes burning car

The Bexhill man was heading towards town along North Trade Road just before 5pm when the brakes failed on his 12-year-old Audi A3 and he noticed a burning smell.

Crew commander John Baker, of Battle Fire Station, said: "The gentleman was driving along and the brakes stopped working, he smelt burning coming through the heating vents, brought the car to a stop and got out the vehicle just as it decided to ignite."

The car was around 300 metres from Claverham Community College and a contractor working on the nearby roadworks called the firebrigade.

In the short time it took a fire crew to get from Battle fire station to the burning car, the vehicle was well alight and the blaze had spread from the engine compartment to the driver and passenger side.

The fuel and brake lines were also alight.

Police were called to stop the rush hour traffic, as the burning car was a danger to other road users.

The driver, who was believed to be in his early 20s, was uninjured and declined an ambulance.

The blaze was put out by 5.25pm and fire crews returned to the station at 6pm.

The fire is believed to have started accidentally in the engine compartment of the vehicle.