An ambulance driver who crashed into a tree has denied careless driving.

Kenneth Martin Blackburn will face a trial in summary court after pleading not guilty to the allegation.

The offence is alleged to have been committed on October 24 last year, when the Mercedes Sprinter vehicle hit a tree as it was approaching a stop sign, at South Drive in Strang close to Noble’s Hospital.

The ambulance was on its way to accident and emergency, carrying a patient at the time.

A vehicle examiner has concluded that the ambulance had no fault.

Mr Blackburn, who is 59 and lives at Westbourne Drive in Douglas, was represented in court by advocate James Peterson.

Mr Peterson said that the defendant was a bank worker for the ambulance service.

He said that the vehicle concerned had been taken off the road the previous day after noxious smells were detected in the driver cab.

Mr Peterson said it had then been put back on the road but documentation relating to the previous issue was being sought.

A pre-trial review will be held in summary court on July 16.

Bail continues.