AN investigation is underway today after a car ploughed in to a Chinese takeaway in a Hampshire village.

Eye witnesses saw the Ford Fiesta mount a pavement before careering into the Lotus House in Fair Oak, which was open at the time.

The glass frontage of the takeaway, on Summerlands Road, was destroyed by the force of the crash, which happened at around 9pm last night.

In minutes the emergency services had arrived with police, two ambulances and a fire engine descending on the scene.

People gathered and watched while the drama was unfolding in what is a small village shopping precinct.

Royal Mail worker Steve Dickeson had left the premises moments earlier with his takeaway when he heard a “hell of a crash”.

He said: “I had just come out of the Chinese and was parked there, then when I started to back up I thought, what was that?

“It made a hell of a crash and she must have really hit that throttle.”

“I don't know why it happened. Whether she was trying to put her foot on the brake and accidentally hit the throttle, I don't know.”

Miraculously nobody was reported to be injured in the drama and there were not thought to be any customers in the shop at the time.

The vehicle was being driven by a woman thought to be in her 50s or 60s.

Mr Dickeson said there was also a man in the car and that the owners of the shop were unable to leave the building while glass was being cleared away.

This morning the Lotus House was boarded up and nobody was answering the phone at the business, which advertises Chinese and European takeaway options.