An elderly motorist who calmly drove away in her damaged Mini after colliding with a couple's truck is being traced.

Victoria Wren, 31, and Steve Manuell, 40, whose vehicle was written off, were stunned when the woman drove away in a badly damaged car without leaving her insurance details.

The crash happened in Grand Avenue, Worthing, as the couple went to Northbrook College for their weekly Spanish lesson.

Victoria said the red, G-registered Mini had turned into Grand Avenue from Tarring Road and collided with the side of their vehicle, at about 7pm on Wednesday.

She said: "My boyfriend had honked the horn, because sometimes people fall asleep at the wheel, but she did not move.

"When we got out of the car she was slumped over the steering wheel and I thought she's had a heart attack or something.

"She moved her head up and seemed okay. She said: 'I'm sorry'."

Steve decided it was best to get the vehicles out of the road and both he and the pensioner reversed away from each other.

But Victoria, of Nutley Close, Goring, said: "She reversed and drove off. It seems so unlikely that she was trying to get away with it. I think she just did not know what had happened.

"It was not like she drove off at speed. Her car was making a horrendous noise because the bodywork had crumpled on the front wheel. She stopped at the lights, indicated and turned right."

The truck is undriveable because of the damage and the insurance company will not pay for the repairs.