The scene in North Walsham Market Place after a car drove into the window of The Showcase Gallery, injuring a pedestrian. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY

PICTURE UPDATE: Car smashes into North Walsham town-centre shop

By ALEX HURRELL, Reporter Tuesday, August 28, 2012
5:32 PM

A woman was taken to hospital after she was hit when a car ploughed into the window of a shop on North Walsham’s Market Place.

The scene in North Walsham Market Place after a car drove into the window of The Showcase Gallery and hit a pedestrian. Jon Witte, who helped the pedestrian until the emergency services arrived. The damaged window is being repaired in the background. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY

The incident happened shortly before 2pm on Tuesday after a woman driver is believed to have reversed out of a parking place on the opposite side of Market Place, crossed the road and collided with The Showcase Gallery.

The injured woman was just leaving the shop and is believed to have got her left hand trapped between the car and building.

An ambulance spokesman said the woman, believed to be in her 60s, sustained cuts, bruises and a hand injury and was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Jon Witte was working in an office above the Gallery and saw the car reversing. “She was parked outside the Co-op and I thought ‘She’s not going to stop.’ There was a big bump – you could feel the building shake,” he said.

Mr Witte rushed outside and stayed with the victim until she was taken away by land ambulance. He was helped by work colleague Emma White.

The victim, who was lying on the pavement, was conscious, but shocked and bleeding. He said: “We grabbed all our tea towels to try and help.”

Bob White, who runs the Showcase Gallery newsagents and gift shop with his wife Jan, said: “It was very shocking – all over in a flash.” He praised Mr Witte and Ms White who he said had been “absolutely brilliant.”

The woman driver was believed to have been uninjured. Police re-opened Market Place at 3.40pm.

● On July 11 last year a car smashed through the window of Boots the chemist, on the opposite side of Market Place. No-one was injured on that occasion.

6 comments

Sorry stephen, not in the report, that's the word on the streets from those who witnessed it.

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omnishambles

Wednesday, August 29, 2012
i am sorry i cant see where it says it took an ambulance an hour to get to the scene however if this was the case where was norman lamb with his protest board announcing an 8 minute service???? and dont forget even when this poor lady got to hospital she would then have to wait even longer for treatment. also according to radio reports the EAAA was called but no mention of it in this report. i will wait with bated breath some response from our local MP

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stephen watson

Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The Ambulance Service is too busy providing 24 hour coverage to the possibility that Prince Philip feels unwell again , to bother about the rest of us . If he had to wait 5 minutes , there would be Hell to pay .

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dragonfly

Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Disgraceful that the patient was left waiting over an hour for an ambulance. How much longer it would have they had waited when the ambulance is eventually cut?

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omnishambles

Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Jenhen, get over yourself your point has no relevance to the story. If anyone is incapable of reversing out of the market place parking spaces without hitting the shops opposit they should not have a licence....male or female.

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KeithS

Tuesday, August 28, 2012
This article states twice that it was a 'woman driver' -- I'm wondering if the gender of the driver would have been given so much emphasis if it had been male.

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Jenhen

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

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