An out of control car ploughed into a charity shop last night, demolishing most of one wall of its sorting room.
The 4×4 was driving down Longridge Avenue in Saltdean at about 10pm last night when it lost control and hurtled into the House Project Centre.
But remarkably, apart from the driver receiving minor injuries, nobody was hurt.
Manager Anne Sams said: “It was very dramatic. A large 4×4 lost control coming down Longridge Avenue and don’t know the reason, it could have been the brakes, but they swung round across the verge and came smashing in straight into the sorting room.
“Probably more than half the car entered the building. All the walls came down – it went over the gas meters and they’re here right now sorting out our gas.
“We all work in there – we are all very thankful that it happened at night and nobody was hurt.
“The ambulance came and the person who was driving the car appears to be fine – shocked obviously.
“The shop will be closed today while we assess the situation and get insurance claims underway.
“The building is going to be made secure as soon as we can.
“The shop is the hub of the community – so many people come into our shop.”
A police spokeswoman said: “Police received a report of a car colliding into a building in Longridge Avenue, Saltdean around 10.10pm on Wednesday (May 8).
“The driver suffered minor injuries.”
A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance Service said: “We were called to this incident at approximately 10.15pm last night. One patient, with minor injuries, was treated before being taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital.”
