The occupant of a Carbrooke home was on holiday when a car ploughed through her front wall and into her kitchen this morning (Wednesday).

Firefighters rescued a pensioner from the vehicle after the dark blue Vauxhall Corsa smashed into the front of the terraced house in Marauder Road, Carbrooke, on the outskirts of Watton, at about 11am.

The East Anglian Air Ambulance was called to the scene as a precaution, but the man, believed to be 82 years old, was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital with minor injuries by land ambulance.

Only the boot of the car could be seen from the quiet residential street, and two-thirds of it was inside the house, built on the former RAF Watton site about three years ago.

About 20 shocked neighbours remained gathered at the glass-strewn scene three hours after the accident happened.

Neighbours said the driver had been visiting a family member who lives in Marauder Road before the crash happened.

They added the woman who lived in the house was on holiday in Great Yarmouth at the time of accident but was due to return this afternoon.

Dean Hort, 39, who lives near the crash site, said: 'She didn't believe me at first when I told her. She thought it was a wind up.'

Michelle Abel, 30, who lives next door to the damaged home, said her house was unaffected.

The row of terraced homes is owned by Saffron Housing Trust, based in Long Stratton.

Philip Sampher, chairman of the Blenheim Residents' Association, said: 'There are usually children running up and down this road so we are lucky that nobody was hurt.'

A fire service spokesman said police called them to the scene at 11.18am, and crews from Watton, Hingham, King's Lynn and Thetford were sent out.

The car was removed at 2pm and Norfolk police said there was no danger to the house in taking it away.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: 'We were alerted to a car in collision with a house at 11.04am. A man has been taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital with minor injuries.'

A Saffron Housing Trust spokesman said: 'We are relieved that no-one was at home when this curious accident happened. Saffron maintenance staff are assessing the damage and loss adjusters have been called in.

'We will carry out the necessary repairs as quickly as possible, once the damage has been assessed, with the aim of causing minimum inconvenience to the tenant and family.'

Police are investigating the cause of the crash.