A pensioner is fighting for her life after being involved in an accident with her husband's car as they checked its brake lights.

Police were called to the couple's home in Woodberry Way, Walton, at 7.20pm last night.

An Essex Police spokesman said the woman had been standing in a driveway to the rear of a blue Honda Prelude while her 74-year-old husband was operating the brake pedal for her to see if lights were working.

Then the vehicle "lurched backwards" causing the 80-year-old woman to fall to the ground and she sustained serious head injuries.

She was taken to Colchester General Hospital where she is in a high dependency unit and her condition was today (Tuesday) described as "poorly and causing concern".

The woman's husband sustained slight injuries.

Police have appealed for witnesses to the accident to contact them. The officer dealing with the investigation, PC Dave Foskew, can be contacted at Thorpe Traffic Police on 01255 861455.

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