A PENSIONER risked his life when he accidentally trundled his mobility scooter onto a busy dual carriageway yesterday (Monday April 21).

The 80-year-old man had taken a wrong turn on his way home from a trip to Newton Aycliffe and ended up battling heavy traffic on the A68.

Following a call from a concerned member of the public, police officers pulled the man over as he headed towards Darlington at around 3pm.

The two officers took the apologetic man home to Newton Aycliffe after struggling to fit his mobility scooter into their van.

PC John Forster, of Darlington Police, said: “We considered giving him an escort but it would have taken about four hours as he was only going eight miles an hour.

“He said he had taken a wrong turn and the next thing he knew, he was lost on the A68 with lorries buzzing past him.

“He was full of apologies and embarrassed about wasting our time.”

Following the incident, PC Forster advised other users of mobility scooters to plan their journey with care.

He said: “Plan your journey and make sure somebody knows where you are and when you are expected back.

“Make sure you know the area and the sort of route you are going to take.

“If you do end up on a busy road, pull over as soon as you can into a safe place and wait for assistance.

“Do not just carry on, as this man did – he was very vulnerable and has been very lucky.”