A PEDESTRIAN suffered horrific injuries after a motorist, driving a borrowed Tesla for the first time, lost control of the car and crashed into him.

Andrew Massey, who was walking along the pavement on Blackburn Road, Egerton, with his wife and son, was thrown over a fence in the impact, fell down a steep embankment and hit a tree.

Bolton Magistrates’ Court heard how Mr Massey suffered a fractured spine, ribs and pelvis along with a punctured lung and spent three weeks in hospital.

The Tesla S75 driver, Gary Myerscough, had borrowed the vehicle from a friend. He was not insured for it and had only driven a short distance for the first time when the collision occurred.

Myerscough, aged 52, of Hospital Road, Bromley Cross, pleaded guilty to careless driving and having no insurance for the vehicle.

Michael Leach, defending, said Myerscough had been persuaded by a friend to lend him his joinery business van, handing him his Tesla to drive in the meantime.

Myerscough had only just left Dunscar Golf Club and had turned onto Blackburn Road when the collision occurred.

Mr Leach said it is possible that he lost control of the car due to ice on the road surface.

“That appears to be the only explanation,” said Mr Leach.

“It was an unfamiliar car with controls that are unusual and he said he was very scared when the vehicle started to skid.”

Anne Deakin, prosecuting, told how Myerscough set off from Dunscar Golf Club in the Tesla at midday on February 2.

“It was, in fact, the first time he had driven it,” said Miss Deakin.

“The weather was cold, there were sporadic patches of ice on the sides of the road, however, the surface had been well gritted so there wasn’t any signs of ice.”

Myerscough lost control on an uphill, left-hand bend and mounted the nearside pavement.

“At this time Andrew Massey, his wife and son were walking away from the golf club on the pavement,” said Miss Deakin.

“The force of the Tesla hitting him sent Mr Massey over a small fence bordering the pavement and sent him down a steep embankment until he was stopped by hitting a tree.”

In a victim statement read out in court Mr Massey said that his injuries needed surgery, including a rod to secure his pelvis and 12 screws in his spine.

He added that before the collision he was very active, going to the gym, swimming and walking but has now suffered "excruciating pain" and walks with a limp.

The Tesla sustained £18,700 worth of damage including two burst tyres, a damaged wing mirror and smashed window.

Myerscough had believed he was insured to drive the vehicle on his own policy, but it was subsequently established that he was not. Miss Deakin told the court that there is nothing to suggest that he was driving dangerously before the collision.

Mr Leach said Myerscough is remorseful and is paying a heavy financial cost as a result of the accident, which will have a significant impact on his business.

Magistrates fined Myerscough £400, banned him from driving for six months and ordered him to pay £125 in costs and charges.

Chairman of the bench, Martin Simpson told him: "Although the consequences of the accident were very serious for Mr Massey, we can only be concerned with these offences and not the aftermath of that."