A shop owner has had a lucky escape after a car narrowly missed hitting him and two bystanders before crashing into his business.

The orange Skoda Octavia, driven by a woman in her 50s, smashed into the side of Mildenhall Carpet and Flooring in the High Street at about 9am.

The shop’s owner Colin Bailey, 56, was standing outside the shop with a member of staff and a customer when the car came between them, hitting the brick wall on one side of the business.

He said: “We had just loaded the van up and were sorting a job out for next week.

“I was standing on the edge of the pavement and a car came between us and smashed into the wall.

“I was about two feet away. We are lucky overall because no-one is seriously hurt.”

He added: “It is not a dangerous road and we are not on a sharp bend. I was in absolute disbelief and shock.”

The woman driving the car was helped out by passers-by and an ambulance was called, although she was not seriously injured.

Police were called to Mildenhall at 9.10am and a structural engineer will assess the damage this afternoon.

Mr Bailey said he did not know how long the shop would be closed for.