A RED mini smashed into a telegraph pole and left more than 650 homes without power.

Residents and neighbours in Castledon Road, Downham told the Echo of the moment they heard the crash and how the pole was left laying across driveways.

Emergency services arrived at the scene and closed of the road at about 7pm on Wednesday.

The mini driver, a 21-year-old woman from Billericay, suffered mini injuries and was taken to Basildon Hospital.

Resident Claire Lawson, 40, recalled the drama, she said: “I was just indoors and suddenly I heard this bang.

“I ran outside and I could see the car and the telegraph pole leaning over. There was a family who had got out of their car to see to the driver.

“My driveway was blocked so I couldn’t get out, but I shouted over to see if I could help at all but the family seemed to have it in hand.

“I am still shocked.

“There was smoke coming from the bonnet of the car and there were emergency services everywhere dealing with the incident.”

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Police were called and found a Mini Cooper had been in collision with an overhead line.

“UK Power Networks and BT engineers were contacted as the pole had fallen and cables were in the road. The highways authority was also contacted to deal with an oil spill.

"Enquiries are ongoing."

A spokesman for UK Power Networks said: "We were quickly on site repairing damage to the pole and cables.

"667 customers would have seen an interruption to power at about 7.50pm with 642 properties restored in half an hour.

"24 customers had their power back at 1.10am yesterday with the final customer having power restored just after 10.30am due to access issues."

Some residents also wanted to highlight concerns with speeding in the road, although there's no suggestion the mini was going too fast.

Brieege McCaffrey of Castledon Road said: “People speed down this road all the time.

“Even though it is a 30mph speed limit drivers still whizz along here at 70mph, it's terrible and people just do not keep to the speed limit.

A police spokesman added: “Police are aware of residents’ concerns about speeding and carry out enforcement action in the Downham area.

“This is balanced against the need to prioritise incidents where there is high risk of threat, harm and risk to the public.”

The Echo contacted Chelmsford Council for a comment regarding speeding.