This is the terrifying moment a confused pensioner drove seven miles down a busy dual carriageway in the wrong direction.

The 73-year-old man was filmed on another motorist's dashboard camera driving his silver BMW towards oncoming traffic after he accidentally joined the northbound side of the A23.

Motorists can be seen swerving to avoid a head on collision with the pensioner, as he drove in the outside lane of busy dual carriageway, near Brighton.

Drivers swerved to avoid this car (right, in front of lorry) after its elderly motorist drove the wrong way down the busy A23 for seven miles towards Brighton

One car even veered off the road and hit a telegraph pole as he tried to avoid hitting the oncoming vehicle.

Gregory Wierciak, 39, who captured newly-released footage of the incident on his car's dashcam, told of his shock at seeing the car going the wrong way.

Mr Wierciak, a Biomedical Science student, said: 'I captured this video on my way to University in Brighton, where I commute every day.

'I noticed this car travelling on the wrong side from the distance of about 50 yards when I was about half way through my journey.

'I was in complete disbelief and shock. I decided to call police, so I pulled over on the nearest layby.

'I was in such state that I could not express myself clearly to the operator, but he told me that they were dealing with the situation.'

The student who filmed the newly-released footage says he was in such shock he could barely talk to police

The motorist was eventually stopped after driving for seven miles in the outside lane of the busy A-road

Minutes later, Mr Wierciak managed to catch up with the car and watched as other motorists tried to warn the pensioner and other drivers of the danger.

He then witnessed several near misses and was even hit by debris as a van skidded to avoid a head on collision with the car.

He said: 'One van skidded sideways just a few feet in front of me and debris from under the wheels hit my car.

'Later on I saw this car at roundabout, where A23 crosses with A27, being stopped by police. It was the longest and most terrifying journey to Brighton I've ever had.

In a statement, a spokesman for Sussex Police said: 'A man drove the wrong way down the A23 towards Brighton for several miles.

'The 73-year-old from Burgess Hill got onto the dual carriageway shortly before 10am on Monday, November 10 after going in the wrong direction down a slip road at Hickstead.

'He then drove his silver BMW south along lane three of the northbound carriageway.'

It is understood the pensioner turned off this roundabout onto a road which becomes the slip road

When drivers are told to turn right onto a country lane, the elderly man carried on onto the duel carriageway

The police statement continued: 'Vehicles heading north had to take evasive action to avoid him. A Volkswagen Transporter, driven by a 25-year-old man from Lancing, hit a telegraph pole as he steered off the road, causing minor damage to his vehicle. He was not injured.

'Road policing unit officers intercepted the vehicle on the A23 to the north of the Mill Road roundabout in Brighton.

'The driver stopped his BMW after seeing the marked police vehicle travelling towards him slowly at the head of the traffic.'

The elderly driver was examined by paramedics after the incident last year and is understood to have become confused during his drive.

The police spokesman added: 'Following medical assessment, the DVLA was made aware of the incident and it was anticipated that due to the nature of the man's medical condition, his licence would be revoked.'

Sergeant Mark Baker said: 'We are very grateful to all of the drivers and members of the public who stopped and called us to warn us about the man's driving and for their attentive driving that enabled them to avoid a collision.