A CAR crashed into a cafe’s window after mounting the pavement while attempting to park outside the business, leaving the owner stunned.

Sara Rowland, founder of Full of Beanz, was just seconds away from opening her cafe in Stanford-le-Hope on Wednesday morning, when the black Volkswagen Polo crashed into her high street business.

The 39-year-old was just about to open the door when the car hit, while a father had to “fling” his son across the pavement to avoid him being hit.

Although it’s not known exactly how the incident unfolded, the crash has left Mrs Rowland’s store with a chunk out the wall missing, a smashed window and a broken letter box.

She said: “I was just about to open the door and put the bench outside, when all of a sudden she went into the window.

“A man and his little boy were walking past at the time, he had to hurl his little one out the way.

“I think the car did hit his toe, but I’ve been told they’re thankfully okay.

“If it had been two seconds after that I would have been out there, but even so the crash definitely made me jump.

“I think the woman driving was a bit shaken up too.

“From what I could tell I think she slipped on the pedal, or she could’ve pressed the wrong pedal I don’t know. Her husband did apologise to me after and said I’m so sorry.

“It’s now got to the point where they have tarmacked the road so many times it’s nearly level with the curb. Had that not have happened, I think the car would have bounced off it.”

Mrs Rowland is thankful nobody was hurt in the crash, which took place around 9.20am.

She continued: “It has smashed my store and taken a whole chunk out my wall, but it definitely could’ve been worse.

“The ambulance man told me she had flip flops on as well, which could have also contributed.

“And looking at the state of the car, I’m surprised I didn’t have more damage.

“I’m just glad nobody was hurt.”

A spokesman from Essex Police, said: "We were called to a collision in Stanford-le-Hope High Street shortly after 9.05am on 22 September.

"It was reported a car had been in collision with a building.

"No-one was injured.

"The driver of the vehicle has been reported."