Peter Wilson, who is famous as both an actor and a comedian, is in an Edinburgh hospital after a traffic accident on the motorway last night. Mr Wilson was driving home from a performance in Melrose when his car went across the centre of the road, hit a tree and then went into a field. There were no passengers and no other cars were involved.

The motorist who was travelling in the car behind, Ms Susan White, stopped and phoned the emergency services. Police and ambulance workers arrived in less than 10 minutes and an ambulance took Mr Wilson to an Edinburgh hospital where he is recovering. A hospital spokesman said: "Mr Wilson is very ill so he will have to stay in hospital for at least two weeks. It was a bad accident but he has already opened his eyes and spoken. His wife has just arrived at the hospital and she has asked me to thank everyone for their kindness."