A VAN flipped over on to its side and smashed into the front garden of an elderly couple’s home.

The white van collided with a black Mercedes at the junction of Tewkesbury Road and Berkeley Road in Clacton.

The impact caused major damage to both vehicles and sent the van crashing through the front wall of a house on the corner.

As well as demolishing a section of the garden wall, the crash left deep gouges in the pavement, bent the Tewkesbury Road sign out of shape and littered the area with glass and car parts.

Sheila and Alexander Alefounder, aged 78 and 82, heard the crash and went outside to see what had happened.

Mr Alefounder said: “I was in bed when it happened and I just heard this big bang. It was a huge noise.”

The wrecked car and van were winched on to lorries and taken away from the scene, while the drivers were treated by paramedics.

They were taken to Colchester General Hospital for further treatment, but their injuries were not life- threatening.

The Alefounders have lived at their house for nearly five years and it is the second major crash they have seen.

Two years ago a collision sent a car spinning into a different section of their garden wall.

Mr Alefounder said: “Sometimes people don’t realise it’s a crossroads. The road markings are a little faded.”