WH Smith 'lucky' escape as car smashes into St Ives shop

Two people received minor injuries after the car crashed into the front of the shop

Staff and customers had a lucky escape after a car smashed into the front of a WH Smith shop.

The car crashed into the front window on Market Hill in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, at about 10:45 GMT.

Nathan Vaughan, whose girlfriend works there, said staff were "very lucky" the car hit a metal post, stopping it before it careered into them. One shopper had to "jump out of the way".

Two people in the car were treated for minor injuries, police said.

Mr Vaughan was going to see his girlfriend Katie Glass in the shop just after the crash happened.

"Everyone inside was really shocked, but no-one was hurt," he said.

"They were all working at the tills just behind the window, and if the car hadn't been stopped by the metal post, it could have been very different.

"One man was just coming out and had to jump out of the way," he added.

Debris was strewn near the doorway as the car narrowly missed crashing through and hitting staff

Mr Vaughan said people rushed to help the people in the car before paramedics arrived.

Cambridgeshire Police said the vehicle had "left the road and collided with a shop front".

Two people received minor injuries as a result of the collision, but no arrests have been made, a spokeswoman said.

Mr Vaughan said the shop's front window frame had been "shunted by the force", but the store reopened after it was deemed safe.

WH Smith has been contacted for comment.

Staff were working at tills just behind the window