A POLICE officer had a lucky escape after his car aquaplaned into a central reservation and burst into flames.The traffic policeman managed to get out of the high performance Ford Mondeo as the fire broke out around him, escaping with only minor burns.

A POLICE officer had a lucky escape after his car aquaplaned into a central reservation and burst into flames.

The traffic policeman managed to get out of the high performance Ford Mondeo as the fire broke out around him, escaping with only minor burns.

He was heading towards Harwich on the A120 in wet conditions, though was not on an emergency call.

The officer was about three miles from the A133 Clacton sliproad when he lost control of the car at about 9pm on Sunday night. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.

The policeman did not go to hospital and was yesterday recovering at home.

Last night Sgt Chris Tyler, of Stanway traffic police, said everyone was relieved the injuries had not been more serious.

He said: "I am very pleased that he got out of the vehicle and so are his colleagues.

"The vehicle had been routinely checked, as we do with all our cars, before it went out and there was nothing obviously wrong."

Firefighters from Colchester and Dovercourt attended the crash and one lane of the A120 was closed for more than an hour as the remains of the car were cleared from the carriageway.

A spokesman for Essex Police said the accident should be a warning to all drivers about precarious conditions on the roads.

He said: "It just shows how careful you have got to be – even experienced police drivers can come unstuck when they get involved in aquaplaning."

He added that all such incidents involving police cars had to be investigated although it appeared as though it was simply an accident caused by the wet road.