Rowan Atkinson "cheats death"

Smash: Rowan Atkinson's £650,000 McLaren F1 spun several times, smashed into a tree and ploughed into a road sign before catching fire on the opposite side of the carriageway

Actor Rowan Atkinson cheated death last night after careering off the road in his 240mph supercar.

The £650,000 McLaren F1 spun several times, smashing into a tree and ploughing into a road sign before catching fire on the opposite side of the carriageway.

The Mr Bean star, 56, pulled himself free from the wreck and was looked after by a passing motorist until emergency services arrived on the A605 at Haddon, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, at 7.30pm.


Smash: Actor Rowan Atkinson cheated death after careering off the road in his 240mph McClaren F1 supercar, pictured here in 1998


Firemen tackled the blaze and an ambulance crew took him to nearby Peterborough hospital where he was believed to be recovering last night.

It is not the first time the Blackadder star has crashed the supercar, which can sprint from 0-60mph in just three seconds.

In 1999, a year after buying it following the phenomenal success of his Mr Bean movie, he collided the red vehicle with a Rover Metro in Lancashire.


Accident: The front of the car was wrecked in a previous collision with the rear of a Rover Metro in Lancashire, in October 1999


Recently appearing on BBC's Top Gear 'Star in a Reasonably Priced Car', he listed the vast array of cars he currently owns, before setting the fastest lap.

In 1994, the British car magazine Autocar stated 'it has too much performance for the public road,' but 'will be remembered as one of the great events in the history of the car, and it may possibly be the fastest production road car the world will ever see'.

Mr Atkinson, who has a passion for fast cars has written articles about different vehicles for specialist car magazines.


In style: Rowan Atkinson's character Mr Bean has less of a passion for fast cars


Though his collection of cars changes regularly, he also has a £125,000 Aston Martin Virage, a vintage Rolls-Royce, and an elderly Morris Traveller, which he regularly drives around the Oxfordshire village where he lives in a £1 million former rectory.

He also has a £2.5 million townhouse in Chelsea. Last night an East of England Ambulance Service spokesman confirmed the accident.

He said: 'A man has since been conveyed to hospital with minor injuries after the car he was driving left the road earlier this evening.'


Rowan Atkinson on Top Gear