Two men had a lucky escape as a car believed to be suffering brake failure crashed through metal railings and ploughed into a shop window at the bottom of the Hilltown in Dundee.
The male driver of the blue Rover, thought to be in his 50s, suffered only minor injuries and was trapped in the car for a time but he did not require hospital treatment.
A shop assistant stood rooted to the spot in terror as the car missed him by just a few yards as he stood outside the shop in Victoria Road making a telephone call.
Mark Steppie, 23, of the Rock ‘n’ Roll tattoo shop, was extremely shaken but unhurt and described Sunday’s incident as “really scary”.
Customers at the Ladywell Tavern, which sits directly opposite the Black Hole comic and music exchange shop where the car struck at 5pm, ran to help the man and some helped redirect the traffic around the incident.
Fire, police and ambulance crews raced to the scene and firefighters used cutting equipment to allow paramedics access to the man, who was talking to rescuers throughout.
Mr Steppie said he had gone out of the shop to phone his friend and saw the car coming down the Hilltown towards him.
“He was on the wrong side of the road and he was obviously trying to aim for a wide bit of the railings to hit. I think his brakes must have failed because he wasn’t skidding or anything.
“He hit the railings and burst right through them into the shop window, I would say about five metres from me.
“I’m still shaking it was really scary. He was wrestling with the steering wheel, so he was obviously trying to avoid crashing.”
Michael Boyle, 47, was first on the scene as he was standing having a cigarette outside the Ladywell Tavern when the Rover crashed in front of him.
He said: “There was smoke from the car but I think it might have been from the airbag. I ran across and turned the ignition off and told the guy not to move.
“I phoned 999 and asked for the ambulance and the fire brigade because I knew they would have to cut him out. I’m first-aid trained so I knew not to move him.
“He was all right and was speaking to me. He told me his brakes failed. I think he had chest and arm bruising and he said his neck was sore, but he seemed OK apart from that.
“While I was seeing to him some of my mates from the pub were directing the traffic. When the ambulance arrived we just left them to get on with it.”
Watch manager Vincent O’Donnell of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said they had to cut away the railings from the car first, making sure the building was secure before they turned their attention to the car.
“We forced open the doors with cutting equipment to let the ambulance crews get access and assist them in getting the casualty out.”
A police spokesman said they were alerted at 5.05pm and closed off the road at Meadowside and the junction of Hilltown.
The car was removed by a Ninewells Garage recovery vehicle at about 6.30 and the road was reopened shortly afterwards.