A DRIVER ploughed into an electricity pole cutting power to hundreds of homes and businesses after sneezing at the wheel.

The Range Rover crashed outside Barleylands Farm, in Barleylands Road, Billericay, at 6.30am yesterday.

The man driving claims he sneezed, causing him to smash into the pole which flattened part of his roof and knocked out power to 382 homes and businesses.

Linda Bell, 40, from Wickford, was driving to work when she came across the crash.

She said: “I was on my way to work and I couldn’t believe it when I saw the car with the pole on top. The guy was lucky to survive.

“The pole was so huge, it completely crushed the car.”

Despite the damage caused by the 30ft pole – and the power cables attached to it – the driver was uninjured.

Police, who raced to the scene, were forced to close the road for a time due to the danger posed by the downed pole, but later allowed traffic to avoid the crash scene by driving through part of the Barleylands’ car park.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “The crash happened when a Range Rover driver appears to have lost control while travelling along Barleylands Road and struck an electricity pole. The driver was uninjured.”

A UK Power Networks spokeswoman said power was cut to customers from about 7.20am.

She said it was restored to 364 customers by 8.10am and another ten people had electricity by 10.30am.

About eight more homes and businesses were still undergoing power repairs.

The spokeswoman added: “Other customers may have noticed a brief interruption to their supply when the power initially went off.

“UK Power Networks is on site working to carry out the repairs as quickly as is safely possible.

“We do understand how inconvenient it can be to be without power and we apologise to our customers affected.”

Anyone still experiencing difficulties with their power can call the UK Power Network helpline on 0800 7838838.