MARK Miller was devastated when the car he had been building for six months was written off by novice driver.

The Cosworth Cavalier Chevrolet had been on the road for less than a month when a car ploughed into it on Friday morning.

Mr Miller had parked his car outside his house in Wood Lane, Chippenham when a young man who had just past his driving test lost control of his car and hit the front of the Chevrolet.

The Cavalier was insured, but Mr Miller says the vehicle will be impossible to replace because it was customised.

He said: "I am pretty gutted. I have spent six months doing it up. I built the car myself.

"The driver had only passed his test three weeks ago. He must have lost control and he drove down the road and up the side of my car. It is a write off now."

A crew from Chippenham Fire Station attended the accident and dealt with a small petrol leak. No one was injured and the driver was able to get out of his car, which had turned on its side.

Mr Miller said the accident could have been more serious if his wife Joanne and daughters, Michaela, four, and Sharna, nine, were using the car.

Mr Miller's insurance coverage entitled him to have a hire car for three days, but his family is now without a vehicle a big problem during the summer holidays.

He said: "My wife uses the car to take the kids out and we have horses at Startley. They normally go there twice a week," he said.

"I don't know what we are going to do now."