AN ELDERLY driver and a group of pedestrians escaped serious injury when a car went out of control at St Helens Hospital’s car park.

Seventy-eight year-old Eleanor Ewens and her husband, Fred, 79, arrived at the hospital last Tuesday morning where Mr Ewens had an appointment.

She had gone inside to the hospital when Mr Ewen, who is diabetic and suffers from neuropathy, took the wheel of the Renault Kangoo in the car park, off Marshalls Cross Road, and lost control.

Two pedestrians ended up being injured and the car went over a grass embankment, leaving Mr Ewen trapped.

Mrs Ewen said: “I went inside the hospital then saw my husband driving towards everybody. People scattered and he came straight towards me, went over some bollards and the car ended up on its side – I thought he was dead.”

The couple contacted the Star this week to express relief no one had been badly injured and to praise the hospital for its response.

Police confirmed the vehicle had gone over a grass embankment resulting in the driver becoming trapped. Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service crews freed Mr Ewens.

He was treated in hospital as a precaution. Two other pedestrians were also treated for minor slight injuries.

The couple’s pet dog, Lola, a Pug/Shih Tzu crossbreed, was in the car and escaped uninjured.

Mrs Ewen said the vehicle was likely to be written-off by insurers.

“I hope those who were involved are alright,” she said.

“The staff at the hospital were brilliant and the medical emergency team’s routine was tremendous. I can’t thank them enough.”