A DRIVER had to watch his car go up in smoke after just failing to reach a garage in time.

Roy Hassell, 59, noticed his 18-year-old Citroen BX had a hydraulic leak and was on his way Viking Citroen in Houndmills this morning (20/3) to have it fixed when it started smoking.

He nursed the car to the garage, where staff tried but failed to put the fire out with extinguishers. They and Mr Hassell rolled the car away from the building and five firefighters from Basingstoke were called to put out the blaze.

Mr Hassell, of Kestrel Road, Kempshott, was pleased to have escaped the grey Citroen safely.

He said he had owned the venerable motor for about six years and hoped it would last until he retired next month.

"I spent a lot of money rebuilding it," he said. "I hoped we would get to my sixtieth but the car's had the last laugh."