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THE grandfather who crashed into George Clooney in Sardinia yesterday has given his side of events, saying he did not see the Hollywood heartthrob as the sun was in his eyes.

CCTV footage showed the actor, 57, being flung into the air after a front-on collision with a Mercedes being driven by 65-year-old plumber Antonello Viglino.

 CCTV footage shows the moment George Clooney collided head-on with a Mercedes in Sardinia
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CCTV footage shows the moment George Clooney collided head-on with a Mercedes in SardiniaCredit: Corriere della Sera

The actor was driving from his home in Puntaldia to a film set in Olbia, on the north-east coast, when the grandfather veered into oncoming traffic.

Clooney's helmet shattered as he smashed against the car's windshield at around 60mph and flipped over the handlebars before crashing to the ground.

Viglino told the Italian newspaper Il Gionale: "I didn't see anything, I had the sun on my eyes. I was about to turn, I just got over the line."

Viglino added the Oscar winner's bodyguards told him: "You hit Clooney."

He replied "who?"

", the actor, the one who is shooting the film at the airport" replied the bodyguard.

 Clooney was on his way to a film set in Olbia when the blue Mercedes suddenly veered into his lane. Here he lies on the floor after being flung in the air
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Clooney was on his way to a film set in Olbia when the blue Mercedes suddenly veered into his lane. Here he lies on the floor after being flung in the airCredit: Corriere della Sera

The elderly plumber was shaken up by the accident and was taken home instead of going to work.

He apparently asked if he could visit the Ocean's 11 star at John Paul II hospital but an ambulance had already taken him away.

Clooney's spokesman Stan Rosenfield  has since said: "He is recovering at his home and will be fine."

George Clooney car accident – star ‘injured after his bike crashed into Mercedes windscreen’ in Sardinia
 George Clooney was knocked off his scooter and smashed into the windscreen of a Mercedes in Sardinia today. Here medics treat him shortly after the crash
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George Clooney was knocked off his scooter and smashed into the windscreen of a Mercedes in Sardinia today. Here medics treat him shortly after the crashCredit: BackGrid
 The star was pictured zipping around the island on a scooter with wife Amal only last month
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The star was pictured zipping around the island on a scooter with wife Amal only last monthCredit: BackGrid

The Hollywood heartthrob was found lying in the road with injuries to his pelvis and bruising to his knee and arm.

Images from State Road 125 showed slight damage to his bike while the left side of the car windscreen was badly smashed.

Witness Gianni Visciano said Clooney was screaming when his bodyguards removed his battered helmet.

He went on to say the actor could not move his head or legs in the aftermath of the crash.

Viglino called an ambulance and waited with father-of-two Clooney until medics arrived to take him to hospital.

A police spokesman said: ''The driver of the car was a local man in his 60s and we are speaking to him about what happened.

 The driver, whose windscreen smashed int the collision, called an ambulance and waited with Clooney until it arrived
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The driver, whose windscreen smashed int the collision, called an ambulance and waited with Clooney until it arrived
 The actor was heading towards a film set in Olbia on State Road 125 when the Mercedes 'turned suddenly' into his bike. The windscreen smashed in the collision
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The actor was heading towards a film set in Olbia on State Road 125 when the Mercedes 'turned suddenly' into his bike. The windscreen smashed in the collisionCredit: BackGrid

''It was fortunate the man on the motorbike was wearing a helmet as his head hit the windscreen which smashed.''

His , 40, rushed to hospital to be at his side and he was discharged just two hours later.

The Oscar-winning actor-director left in a van through a side exit, local media reported.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene of the accident as a safety precaution.

 This photo is believed to show medics escorting Clooney from John Paul II Hospital
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This photo is believed to show medics escorting Clooney from John Paul II HospitalCredit: BackGrid

Clooney was pictured stepping off a private jet with wife Amal and twins, Alexander and Ella, in Sardinia at the end of last month.

Even earlier in June, Clooney was seen zipping around the island on a scooter with Amal, 40, hugging him tightly.

The A-list couple are believed to have brought their parents to the island to help care for the children while George works.

Clooney has been in Sardinia to direct, produce and star in Catch 22, a six-episode mini-series based on the novel by Joseph Heller.

 Images from the main road showed damage to both the bike and the Mercedes
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Images from the main road showed damage to both the bike and the MercedesCredit: 2018 G.Sanna-Cisotti/Deidda
 Clooney arrived in the island with his family for the summer on June 24
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Clooney arrived in the island with his family for the summer on June 24Credit: BackGrid
Video shows street where George Clooney was injured after his bike crashed into Mercedes windscreen in Sardinia
 George and wife Amal touched down in Sardinia with their 10-month-old twins Alexander and Ella last month
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George and wife Amal touched down in Sardinia with their 10-month-old twins Alexander and Ella last monthCredit: BackGrid
 Smiling Amal, 40, was seen stepping off the private jet with daughter Ella
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Smiling Amal, 40, was seen stepping off the private jet with daughter EllaCredit: BackGrid

In April, the legendary thespian announced he was cutting down his acting role in the Hulu production so he could focus on directing.

George and Amal met back in 2013 when Amal attended a party at the Ocean's Eleven star's house in Lake Como, Italy.

It was from that moment George made it his mission to land Amal, later taking her on their first date at a plush London restaurant.

She explained in an interview with : "I was 35 when I met him. It wasn’t obvious that it was going to happen for me. And I wasn’t willing or excited about the idea of getting married or having a family in the absence of that. "

But romance quickly blossomed between the pair, who married just over a year later in Venice, Italy.

They have since welcomed their adorable twins Ella and Alexander, each of whom have already said their first word.


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