No bed of roses: British tank crashes into elderly couple's garden

Feb. 10, 2015: Authorities say the tank crashed after suffering a technical problem. (Paderborn Police)

This one gives new meaning to Steel Magnolias.

An elderly German couple was stunned Tuesday after they discovered their home's fence was knocked down and hedges in their garden were crushed by a British tank.

Authorities say a technical problem with the tank caused it to veer off course before hitting Ulrich and Magdalene Tilsner’s home in Paderborn, The Local reports. The tank belongs to a military driving school at the Paderborn Garrison of the British Army.

Magdalene Tilsner said she and her husband were about to head out for the morning to visit their granddaughter when they heard something like a bomb going off.

“My Opa [grandpa] telephoned and said, 'I'm coming somewhat later, I have a tank in my garden'," Stefanie Ney told the Neue Westfälische newspaper, according to The Local. “My Oma [grandma] was completely in shock."

It took police and the British Army several hours to remove the vehicle, with damages to the home estimated to be around $1,130.

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