AN elderly driver who caused chaos when he crashed on a busy dual carriageway had driven without a full licence - for 55 years.

Shocked police made the discovery after the the pensioner lost control of his vehicle before it jackknifed.

Now his vehicle has been seized and he has been told he is not allowed to get behind the wheel until he has passed a full test.

Police say the 71-year-old was driving in heavy rainfall when a tyre blew out on his Iveco campervan close to the M275 junction- causing the vehicle and a trailer it was towing to jackknife.

The impact caused a part of the vehicle's wheel suspension to dislodge and the campervan was left blocking one lane of the carriageway for 90 minutes.

The pensioner from Great Yarmouth was on his way to catch a ferry to Spain and was unharmed in the crash.

But when officers arrived he produced a provisional licence telling them he had driven since he was 15 - in 1960 - and had never previously been pulled over.

They discovered he had failed a test as a 21-year-old in 1965 and never attempted to retake it and the provisional licence expired earlier this month Sergeant David Sanderson of Hampshire Constabulary's Roads Policing said the pensioners' actions were not deemed serious enough for immediate arrest.

The incident took place on the A27 Eastern Road near Portsmouth.

But the man could face further court action including a points on his licence, disqualification, a fine or fixed penalty notice.

Officers have reported him for a string of offences including failing to comply with conditions of his driving licence, unlawfully obtaining insurance and failing to keep the vehicle in a roadworthy condition.

The vehicle has been confiscated and impounded until he passes a test and his provisional licence has been revoked.

Sergeant Sanderson said: "This person failed their test 50 years ago because they were clearly not safe to drive on the public road.

"Yet rather than learn from their mistakes they have continued to driver and have therefore put lives at risk. It is surely just luck that they have never been involved in something more serious.

"Today demonstrates that they took a great risk because they failed to ensure there vehicle was in a suitable condition to drive and in doing so caused significant disruption and danger to other road users at a time when driving conditions were awful.

"We work hard to show an active presence, raise awareness and create a fear of consequence, all with the aim to change drivers’ attitudes when they get behind the wheel.

"We all need to work together to drive down the number of casualties on our roads.

"The driving licence is proof that you have sufficient knowledge to drive safely as this provides you with a solid platform from which to develop your driving career."

The incident which tool place at 2.45pm on Saturday [November 14]was one of a number of crashes on the county’s roads during heavy rain and strong winds.