Acting Area Commander, Inspector Noel Rogan said that after reading last week's front page story in the Larne Times, in which an angry witness to the incident said she was "totally disgusted" by the police response, he checked out the matter for himself.

"Police were assigned at 9.04pm to that call and arrived at 9.18pm. The vehicle was found locked and secured," he said.

He explained inquiries were made and it was established that a doctor at the scene had checked out the man. At 10.30pm police located the driver.

"From our perspective we are not taking it any further," Inspector Rogan added, describing the man as having "shaken himself up".

DPP chairman Councillor Andy Wilson said he had spoken to the elderly driver's family and they were happy with how the police had dealt with the matter.

In last week's story, the witness to the incident told how she was "stunned" at what she had been told when she rang 999 to alert the police, only to be informed by an operator that it was "not a reportable accident".

"The man was in the car with the engine running. There was smoke flying out of it and all these cars flying by. He was very disorientated. I asked him if he was okay then dialled 999. She (the operator) said it was his responsibility to get himself off the roundabout," the witness said.

When the Larne Times asked the PSNI for a comment in relation to the matter last week, a spokesperson confirmed that police had received a report of a collision at the Millbrook roundabout.

"This was a non-reportable collision as no-one was injured and no property other than that of the driver was damaged. The vehicle was not causing a hazard to other road users and was promptly recovered by the owner."

DPP member Laura Vance, who had raised the issue at the public meeting, described the incident as "worrying" and said she felt there could have been a risk to the man and to others.

See letters on page 13