Shopkeeper tells of Ludlow runaway car horror

Ettie Bowers, manager of the Red Apparel clothing shop in the Bullring in Ludlow town centre, spotted a car – without a driver – rolling towards the shop as she returned from running an errand just before 4pm on Thursday. She said it then hit the pensioner who was walking along the street.

The man, who is in his 60s, was taken to Hereford County Hospital with a suspected fractured leg by ambulance crews.

Debris from the crash was left strewn across the pavement and road, which was partially closed for a short time.

Police are treating the incident as an accident.

Miss Bowers said: "I was just across the road on an errand when all of a sudden I just saw this car without a driver rolling towards my shop.

"I just shouted out, 'oh my god that car is going to hit my shop' and I started to panic that the shop would be badly damaged and I legged it across the road.

"As I got closer I saw there was a man just in front of it and he ended up stuck between the car and the window.

"The window smashed and he seemed in pain, but we did all we could to make him comfortable while the paramedics arrived on the scene.

"We took a lady and a girl who I think were with him inside and calmed them down and made them a drink while it was all sorted out. But I hope nothing like this happens again."

Miss Bowers said the damage was only minimal, with the window to be replaced soon, and sent her best wishes to the man, who has not been named.

She said: "I just hope he is recovering and getting better. It was a nasty incident, thankfully the window is easy to repair, I hope his leg is not too serious."

Inspector Tom Harding, of West Mercia Police, said: "A car which was not being driven at the time appears to have started rolling forwards and collided with a pedestrian and then a shop front.

"The man was given treatment but his injuries are not serious and this is being treated as an accident rather than anything malicious."