The former EastEnders star has been charged with drink-driving after flipping her car with her three year old grandson in the back.

Lenska, aged 68 years old, was charged after police were called when her car clipped a parked car and flipped over in Hospital Bridge Road, in Twickenham, south west London.

Her vehicle, a Mini Cooper, flipped onto its side during the collision with the parked vehicle at around 7pm on Monday 22 February 2016.

The EastEnders actress was breathalysed before being arrested and taken to Kingston Police Station.

A resident close by ran from her house after hearing a loud bang and helped get Lenska and the child to safety through the car’s boot.

A retail manager, aged 26 years old, close by who assisted said:

“I heard a bang first of all and I came running out and saw the car on its side. It had clipped a car that was parked on the side of the road and flipped over onto its side. We were trying to get the doors open but they were locked. We managed to get the boot open. There was a boy aged three to four in there. He was pretty terrified. We tried to get him out of the boot. Then she ended up coming out first out of the boot.”

Lenska, of Chiswick, west London, was initially arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and being drunk in charge of a child. Officers charged her with drink-driving but took no further action on the other alleged offence.

The London Ambulance Service attended the scene but there were no injuries.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said:

“Rula Lenska, 68, charged with a drink drive offence, namely driving a motor vehicle above the legal limit.”

Lenska, who is the former wife of actor Dennis Waterman, was bailed and will appear at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court.

She has played Claudia Colby in Coronation Street in recent years and also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother.