An elderly man crashed into a bakery store room after mistakenly stepping on the accelerator, destroying £10,000 worth of stock.
Nikki Craven, 49, manager and owner at Rise Bakery in Dorset, shockingly revealed that an employee was restocking the shelves only minutes before the ‘enormous smash’.
The Honda driver – who is thought to be in his 70s or older – was pulling out of the Wash’N’Drive car wash in Bridport when he lost control of his car and pummelled into the alcohol store room of the Rise Market & Bakery.
The ‘colossal’ damage includes the destruction to the building as well as the hundreds of smashed bottles of beer, wine and spirits. It is expected to cost more than £10,000.
Mr Craven said: ‘I think the gentleman, who was probably in his 70s or his 80s, accidentally left the car in drive and when leaving the car wash he pressed the accelerator rather than the brake and went into the side of the shop at quite a speed.
‘Less than half an hour before one of the staff was restocking the room, but we’re just glad that no-one was hurt.’
He said there was ‘smashed glass everywhere’ and the store room still smelt like alcohol despite several vigilant deep cleans.
The driver was taken to hospital but did not suffer any serious injuries.
A pensioner was pulling out of the Wash’N’Drive car wash in Bridport when he lost control of his car and pummelled into the alcohol store room of the Rise Market & Bakery
The ‘colossal’ damage worth £10,000 includes the destruction to the building as well as the hundreds of smashed bottles of beer, wine and spirits
The manager there was ‘smashed glass everywhere’ and the store room still smelt like alcohol despite several vigilant deep cleans
The three staff members in the shop at the time were also unharmed as well as the few customers inside.
Mr Craven said they did not know the man before the ‘freak accident’ and he had not contacted them since.
‘There was nothing suspicious about it and the man was definitely in a state to drive,’ he said.
Rise Bakery wrote on their Instagram page that they were ‘not trying to name, blame or shame the driver in anyway’.
‘Accidents happen, a lot of booze has been spilt but luckily everyone is whole,’ they added.
The bakery hoped to re-open the ‘Little Booze Room’ in about a month but was waiting on insurers to assess the damage before beginning any renovations.
‘We’re just very grateful for everyone who helped and especially for Fat Leaf for all their help in sorting things out and for getting the car out.’
The bakery explained that since the car was on private property, the firefighters who raced to scene were unable to physically remove the car.
The driver was taken to hospital but did not suffer serious injuries and the employees and customers in the shop were also unharmed
‘There was nothing suspicious about it and the man was definitely in a state to drive,’ Mr Craven said
Instead they had to rely on a local landscaper to drive the vehicle out of the store room.
‘Life’s funny, one minute you’re getting your car washed in the Esso, and the next minute you’re in the little booze room in Rise market and bakery!’ Rise Bakery wrote on their Instagram.
A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: ‘We received a report that a vehicle had collided with the Rise Bakery shop in East Road in Bridport.
‘Officers attended with the ambulance and fire services. No injuries were reported and no arrests were made.’
