A man has complained to the Chief Constable of Essex and Harwich MP Ivan Henderson after he had to wait 44 minutes for police to arrive on an emergency call.

The man said he called the police after he was forced off the road by another car.

The incident began at 6.25pm less than a mile from Clacton Police Station when a car sped straight towards him.

The man, who has asked not to be identified, said: "I had to mount the pavement to avoid an accident and hit a street sign.

"I called 999 at 6.30pm and again at 6.57pm on my mobile and the police finally arrived at 7.14pm."

He said while he waited 44 minutes for officers to arrive, he and his wife saw the car damage three other vehicles, career around the road, mount pavements, hit a lamp post and just miss several children at the entrance to a car park in Clacton.

The man said: "Three other cars were hit during this time and someone could have been injured or killed.

"As normal law-abiding citizens, we are encouraged to help the police by reporting anything like this as soon as we see it so they can catch the person in the act.

"But after my experiences in this case I would think twice again."

The man said he hoped the matter would be fully investigated.

"What has happened to me and my family cannot be undone - but I would hope that it would not happen to anyone else and put them in the same position," he added.

Supt Mick Hicks, of Clacton police, said today: "I now have a copy of the complaint.

"The man will be seen by an inspector and the matter will be fully investigated.

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