Motorist with 76-year clean record smashes up two Porsches

Any number of thoughts could have struck William "Jack" Higgs, 93, as he hung upside down, suspended by his seat-belt, having overturned his Ford Fiesta in a crash involving two Porsches.

But for a driver without so much as a parking ticket in 76 years of driving , a vow never to get behind the wheel again was an obvious one. Another, perhaps less urgent matter was clearing up the £60,000 damage he caused to a Porsche Carrera II, Porsche 911 and his £600 Ford. At least two of the vehicles were written off.

But the former Pentecostal minister's main thought was to thank God for the "miracle" of his unlikely survival.

Mr Higgs emerged uninjured when his Ford Fiesta hit the Carrera II then flipped over on to the Porsche 911 outside a showroom in Penarth, near Cardiff.

He was found hanging upside down by his seat-belt in his overturned car. "I just don't know what happened except that I lost control as I was reversing," he said yesterday.

"The next thing I knew I was hanging upside down in my car, thanking my lucky stars I was still alive.

"It was a miracle I got out alive and I put it down to the power of prayer and God looking after me."

Staff at the RS Porsche showroom said Mr Higgs managed to clamber free and – given the all-clear by paramedics – asked for a broom to clear up. Dealer Dave Coombs added: "It was amazing. The Porsches were a real mess but Jack is such a gentleman he asked for a sweeping brush to help clear them up."

Instead, Mr Higgs was offered a sweet cup of tea to calm his nerves. Mr Coombs said: "I am not too concerned about the cars – what matters is that Jack survived, which is incredible."

Mr Higgs said he could not explain how he managed to lose control of his 13-year-old car and smash into the Porsches.

One of the elite cars was a write-off, while the other was badly damaged and will need extensive repairs. Both cars were privately owned and were in the garage for servicing. His Fiesta was also wrecked. The cost of Mr Higgs' first accident in 76 years will be met by his insurance company.

"I have been driving since I was 17, have a clean licence and have never even picked up so much as a parking ticket," said Mr Higgs, adding that he would be relying on buses and lifts to get him around from now on.

"That's it – the end of my driving career. I am never driving again," he said, no doubt to the relief of his insurer.