Early pictures from the crash scene. Pic: London Fire Brigade.

Firefighters cut an 80-year-old man out of his car in a gruelling six-hour operation after it crashed into a house in Croham Road, South Croydon, during the early hours of this morning.

Pictures from the scene show the grey vehicle wedged into the ground-floor window of the house, breaking the glass and walls. Both the car and the house sustained major damage.

The London Fire Brigade said: “A car collided with a house and street furniture in Croham Road and one man was trapped in the vehicle.

“Firefighters used cutting equipment to release the man from the car and he was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service.

“Four people left the house, which sustained structural damage, before the arrival of the Brigade. Crews also shored up the building to make it safe.

“Two fire engines and three fire rescue units from Croydon, Heston and East Ham fire stations attended the scene.”

It took approximately six hours to prise the car out of the house.

A police spokesperson added: “Officers attended along with London’s Air Ambulance. The male driver, aged 80, was trapped inside the vehicle and released by the London Fire Brigade.

“He was taken to a south London hospital but is not believed to have been injured. There have been no arrests.”

The residents were believed to be sleeping at the time of the incident and have escaped unhurt.