A 93-year-old driver who was banned for six months after crashing his convertible is back at the wheel . . . of a mobility scooter with a top speed of six mph.

Retired electronic mechanic Jim Sims, of Springfield, who wrote off his £21,750 Vauxhall Astra 1.8 automatic, said that he repaired and sold scooters as a hobby and would be riding one to get about again.

The Bethnal Green-born war veteran had denied a charge of careless driving on March 18 when he appeared before Chelmsford Magistrates in early June.

The bench heard from the Crown Prosecutor solicitor that he had approached a junction on New Nabbotts Way in his automatic but pressed the accelerator instead of the brake.

His convertible crossed a busy road, narrowly missed a cyclist, crashed through a park fence and halted when it hit concrete bollards.

He said that his foot had accidently slipped onto the accelerator from the brake pedal on his way to post a letter.

Tests were carried out and his eye sight failed to pass the 20.5 metre test.

Magistrates disqualified him from driving for six months, imposed a £100 fine, £90 costs, plus a victim surcharge of £20.

He was told by the bench he must now pass an ordinary driving test before he can drive again.

Pc Andy Sumner of Chelmsford Road Policing Unit, said after the hearing: "Essex Police are dealing with more instances where motorists are driving after a point in their life when they are not fit to do so through mobility, reactions, eye sight, or the combination of medications.

"Essex Police aim to reduce serious and fatal collisions and hope that the mature members of our community will make the responsible decision.".

"It is a difficult decision for motorists to make as we are ever reliant on the convenience of having a car. However, it would also be a tragedy for the driver if they spend the later years of life knowing that they had seriously hurt or killed someone."