WITNESSES who heard and saw the aftermath of what happened after a lorry crashed into a chemists on the Isle of Wight, vividly described how shocking the incident was and how lucky no was injured — or even killed.

Emergency services were called to an accident involving a lorry and two cars, in Avenue Road, Freshwater, at around 9.30am today (Monday, August 5).

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The details of how the unusual accident — which saw a lorry, belonging to Hampshire Freight Services crash into Numark Pharmacist Kemkay Chemist — happened is currently unclear and being investigated by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.

The collision also involved an elderly woman, driving a green Volkswagen saloon car, and a woman driving a cherry red Citroen Picasso.

The driver of the lorry was a man aged in his 50s.

Police officers at the scene confirmed none of the drivers were injured in the collision, which left the chemists badly, structurally damaged.

All three drivers, with no passengers on board their vehicles, were left shaken.  

Police said only the pharmacist was in the chemists at the time of the crash, and there were no pedestrians on that part of Avenue Road when the accident occurred.

Although there were no known eyewitnesses to the accident, shop workers described what they heard and saw afterwards.

A woman, who wished to remain anonymous, heard the noise and ran outside.

"I heard a massive bang. It sounded like a lorry shed its load. The elderly woman in the green car was really shaken up.

"It was so, so lucky there were no pedestrians there at the time. Someone would've been killed."

Marian Strachan, owner of The Cabin newsagents, two doors down from the chemists, said: "There was an almighty crash. I thought a bomb had exploded. I'm surprised no one was killed."

And Katie Mercer, of The Village Bakery, nearby, said she heard "an almighty crunch" and ran out to see what happened. She said she couldn't believe what she saw.

Avenue Road has been closed to traffic since the accident, to allow the Isle of Wight Council's building control surveyor to assess the damage and to consider what action is required to make the building safe and recover the lorry.

The pillar which separates the chemist's and a cafe next door was left badly damaged as the lorry ploughed into the store front, smashing a window and leaving debris strewn across the pavement and road.

The surveyor said: "At the very least, a section of pavement will be closed off."