A MOTORIST is again counting the cost of repairs after a refuse truck smashed into his wife's car almost a year to the day the same driver and vehicle crashed into his.

As Michael Bates stepped out of his home in Ivy Bower Close, Greenhithe, at 10.20am, on May 26, he got a sense of deja-vu.

The driver who reversed a Cleanaway truck into the boot of Mr Bates' blue Subaru on May 25 last year had made exactly the same blunder again only this time it was his wife Jeanne's red Toyota Avensis on the receiving end.

On both occasions the couple's cars were parked on the road adjacent to their house.

The 59-year-old was astonished virtually the same accident, involving the same driver and the same van, could happen again almost a year to the day.

Cleanaway has been employed to collect recycling by Dartford Council since July 2000 but Enterprise MRS will take over in July this year after the contract was re-tendered.

An average of 200 complaints a month has been received by the council about Cleanaway during the past six years.

In the first accident, £1,500 of damage was caused to the Subaru but 52-year-old Mrs Bates' car has now been written off after insurers estimated £4,500 damage was caused.

Father-of-one Mr Bates said: "When I came out and saw the same driver I said to him it's you again' and just thought to myself, oh no'.

"I could not believe what I was seeing. The first crash was bad enough but a Sherman tank couldn't have done a better job.

"They say lightening never strikes twice but not in this case."

Mr Bates added: "It was as if someone was playing a joke to mark the anniversary of the first crash.

"It is such a coincidence. I would not say I am unlucky but this makes you think."

The couple, who have been married for 14 years, are worried someone could have been killed.

Mr Bates, a legal representative added: "He must have hit it at some force. He should have had someone helping him reverse."

The couple are now seeking compensation for the damage and the stress both blunders have caused.

A Cleanaway spokesman said: "We can confirm a member of staff, while reversing in wet weather conditions, inadvertently struck a resident's car as he manoeuvred his refuse collection vehicle between two rows of parked cars.

"His banksman was in attendance but was assisting him on the other side of the vehicle.

"Cleanaway apologises for this incident which is now being dealt with by our insurers.

"The driver has been disciplined."