A POLICEMAN had a remarkable escape after surviving a car smash on a 999 call. The Barking and Dagenham constable in his 20s was trapped in the car for an hour after crashing through a garden fence into the front door of a house in Rainham Road North. Som

A POLICEMAN had a remarkable escape after surviving a car smash on a 999 call.

The Barking and Dagenham constable in his 20s was trapped in the car for an hour after crashing through a garden fence into the front door of a house in Rainham Road North.

Some 15 Dagenham firefighters scrambled to cut out the roof of the car, which continued to blare out sirens in the dead of night, with police colleagues at his side.

The PC was eventually rushed to Queen's Hospital with minor leg injuries and allowed to go home two hours later. The Met are probing the crash.

The resident whose house was hit was left in a state of shock, after being woken hours after his cancer-stricken wife returned from hospital. Fixing his council home could cost �2,000.

Neighbour Yvonne Garnham, 62, took a picture of firefighters and police swarming around the marked police car after 2am on Thursday.

The former medic said: "It was like Christmas lights out there with the fire brigade, police and all the lights flashing. I'm glad he's OK."

A police spokeswoman said: "Pending the investigation of the accident there is little that I can add. However, I can confirm that the officer was responding to an emergency call.