Car smashes into front of family-run butchers in Quarry Bank

But the owners of Hawthorne & Walker have vowed to keep serving customers despite the extensive damage.

Owner John Walker said staff were left in shock when they arrived to find the gaping hole in the front of the shop caused by the out-of-control Renault Megane.

The 71-year-old has run the business for 45 years with his two sons Robert, age 45, and Steve, age 40, also as co-owners.

Rolled

“There were some people in the shop up the road and they must have failed to put the handbrake on as it rolled down the hill and into our shop window,” said Mr Walker.

“We had to open the shop all the next day as we couldn’t close it – the whole front was wide open.

“We just had to wait for someone to board it up. It’s all been smashed.

“We’re going to need a new shop front. We couldn’t really believe it.”

Police attended the scene at the time of the incident, which happened at about 6.30am on Wednesday, but have since confirmed there was no criminal activity after speaking to the driver of the Renault Megane.

And Mr Walker said the occupants of the car had also returned to say how sorry they were.

He added: “There’s a 10ft hole in the wall, the wall and window are both gone.

“But we will stay open. The thing is you can’t really open the door as the lock is damaged, and all the side of the door is smashed.

“But these things just happen. It will take a lot of repair work, but all covered on insurance. It was a Renault Megane, it was a brand new car. It just rolled down because the handbrake was off. I suppose it had gained some momentum. Somebody could have been killed because I have got people who sit just the other side of the glass waiting for their orders.

“We have got the assessors coming next Wednesday, it is going to be a long drawn out affair.

“It slowed us up yesterday because we had to remove all of the debris. Around six years ago a lorry also just took off down the street.

“It went all the way down. The driver caught up with it.”