A SCOTTSDALE State Emergency Service crew efficiently removed both sides of a Ford station wagon on Monday night - the only problem was that it was the wrong car.
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The station wagon owned by car restorer Geoffrey Farrell was virtually destroyed during a jaws-of-life training program at a Ten Mile Track car yard.
SES unit manager Rex Rainbow said that the emergency service members drove straight past the intended training car and got to work on Mr Farrell's vehicle.
``The owner of the yard rang on Tuesday and said `you realise the car you cut up on Monday night was the wrong one','' Mr Rainbow said.
``I said `Oh s---, really?' I wasn't there, I had no idea.
``It wasn't a laughing matter when I was told on Tuesday night but after I spoke to the owner and found that he had no grievances, it turned out to be a funny mistake.''
Mr Farrell said he initially struggled to get his head around the situation.
He is not pursuing compensation.
``She's all been sorted out, it's all good. It was just an old car, it didn't really matter too much,'' he said.
This week has been national SES week.
``We're not playing on the good nature of the man. He let the incident go, but we're going to be bloody careful from now on,'' Mr Rainbow said.
SES Tasmania Operations and Resource assistant director George Cretu said the SES was grateful that the car's owner had not made a big deal of the mistake.
``We understand the situation and are very appreciative and a bit embarrassed,'' Mr Cretu said.
``If you're doing up an old car, don't park it near an SES training program, or we might do it up for you.''