A close miss for a teenage driver from Loughton has been turned into a safety film to highlight the importance of wearing seatbelts.

Lee Potter was driving home on Epping New Road on October 14, 2008 when his car spun out of control and landed upside down in a tree.

Lee, who was returning from his day job at a golf course, had to be cut from the car by firefighters and suffered serious injuries.

They say the only reason he survived was due to his seatbelt.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service (EFRS) Officer Nick Taylor who helped cut Lee from his car said: "We could not see how to cut him out, in 22 years we've never seen such a difficult road traffic accident."

"If Lee hadn't been wearing a seatbelt then the consequences don't bear thinking about, it was a miraculous escape."

His Mother Lorraine Potter added: "When the police knocked on the door I thought he was dead. It was the longest five minutes of my life."

Epping New Road is a regular accident blackspot.

In the past two years there have been close to 20 accidents, involving 32 casualties.

The road has claimed several lives since 2000.

These include Marlon Rose, 23, of Buckland Road, Leyton who was killed when his motorcycle left the road and hit a tree in March 2005.

In March 2004, 18-year old Justin Hatton from Church Lane, Loughton was killed after he was thrown from his car.

Lee's lucky escape prompted media students at Epping Forest College to create a short film about Lee's accident.

The film, "Pull it, Click it, Live it" has now been picked up and will be used as a safety film by Essex Fire and Rescue services.

Epping Forest College Media lecturer Delta Mundean said: "I'm extremely proud of the students commitment to this project and the excellent film they have produced as a result of their hard work."

The film will be shown at an open evening at the college on Borders Lane on Monday July 29 between 5:30-7:30pm.

For more information visit www.epping-forest.ac.uk