a lamp-post was so badly damaged after being struck by a car it had to be cut down by the Highways Agency.

The drama unfolded when a Mazda driven by a woman along Westway, Colchester, left the road and hit the lamp-post.

An Essex police spokesman said when officers arrived at the scene on Friday evening the woman driver was at the side of her vehicle with only slight injuries.

The HIghway Agency was then called out to cut down the lamp-post but in order to do this power had to be turned off in the road and cars were prevented from driving up it while work was carried out.