A man of 82 who accidentally ran over his wife spoke of his horror as she lay trapped underneath the car.

Joyce Poole, 76, had just opened the garage door at the couple's home in Worthing when the automatic car, with her husband Sidney at the wheel, shot forward.

She was carried inside the garage and then vanished under the front wheels, sparking a rescue operation.

It took firefighters 25 minutes to free Mrs Poole. She was taken to Worthing Hospital where she is still recovering.

Her husband, a retired insurance agent, said he was shocked at what happened.

Mr Poole said: "I feel dreadful about what happened and will for a long time to come. My wife is bruised, has had stitches in her face and has several cracked ribs.

"But I feel she has been very lucky. I still cannot believe I could have done something like this because I have been driving for more than 60 years."

Mr and Mrs Poole had just returned to their home in Halsbury Close at 3.30pm on Saturday afternoon following a shopping trip when the accident happened.

Mrs Poole opened the front gates of their bungalow in the quiet cul-de-sac and then walked a few yards to open the garage as her husband edged forwards.

But instead of braking at the garage door, his foot accidentally hit the accelerator.

He said: "My wife pulled the up and over door and, as it opened, I put my foot on the wrong flipping pedal.

"It is something I have never done in my life. She was carried into the garage and then went under the car."

Firefighters from Worthing arrived to find Mrs Poole wedged under the Toyota car at an angle and used hydraulic equipment to jack up the vehicle.

Sub Officer Colin Bird said: "The elderly lady was conscious and able to talk to us although she was obviously in a bit of pain and shocked.

"The working conditions were quite cramped inside the garage and, once we had the car raised, a paramedic checked the lady and stabilised her before we used a slide board to release her.

"This is placed under the patient to keep them straight as they are moved, in case they have back or neck injuries.

"Her husband was obviously in a state of shock as this went on but otherwise he was in a reasonable condition although it was obviously difficult for him."