Emergency services were fantastic say Constables couple

11:25am Tuesday 20th May 2008

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Update - A COUPLE who survived when a car smashed into their Timperley newsagents, have thanked the emergency services who came to their aid.

Gary Woods and his fiancee Jackie Smith are recovering from their ordeal and are determined to rebuild their wrecked Constables shop.

The couple were in the Park Road shop when the Vauxhall Tigra careered into it, shortly before 9am last Thursday morning.

Shop assistant Jane Cummins, who works at the Deli Bakery across the road, said she heard an explosion that sounded like a bomb going off.

The impact brought the shop front crashing down on Jackie, trapping her and the woman car driver, who is in her mid 20s.

Also in the shop at the time were shop assistant Jean and a customer. Gary, Jean and the customer escaped through the shop's back door, but Jackie, aged 41, and the driver were trapped.

Shortly before the crash the shop had been packed with school children on their way to nearby Heyes Lane Primary School.

There were fears the building - at the junction with Heyes Lane - could collapse and so firefighters brought in specialist shoring equipment to support it.

Firefighters from a specialist search and rescue team were called in and brought the women to safety.

Jackie escaped with a cut to her face and cuts and bruises to her legs. She was discharged from hospital after treatment.

The car driver also escaped serious injury. She suffered shock and a head injury and was still being treated in hospital on Tuesday.

Station Commander Ian Holt, from the fire service, said: "When you look at that building , they are very lucky."

Gary Woods said: "It is one of those experiences that you have once in a lifetime.

"The emergency services - the firefighters, ambulance crews and police - were fantastic. They were just amazing on the day.

"We were amazed by the way they acted and their professionalism."

Two off-duty firefighters were the first on the scene and they gave first aid to the women before fire crews from Sale and Altrincham arrived.

Jackie's mother, Marjorie Smith, said: "I would like to thank everyone involved the in the rescue of my daughter from the rubble of Constables - especially Paul, the off-duty firefighter who remained with her throughout.

"You all did a wonderful job in dangerous conditions for which we all will be forever grateful."

Gary and Jackie's newsagents business is already up and running again, with newspaper deliveries resumed.

Shop assistant at Deli Bakery, Jane Cummins, said of the crash: "It was like a bomb going off - that is what I thought had happened."

Last year there was another close escape when a young cyclist was injured when a car hit railings in front of the shop.

Were you on the scene at the time of the incident? Send your photos to sam.editorial@messengergrp.co.uk or leave your comments below