Miracle escape for shop worker as car ploughs into Highbury store

A LUCKY shop worker had a miraculous escape when an out-of-control vehicle ploughed into a convenience store.

Joseph Rajan was working at the Best One shop in Highbury Park at 8pm last Saturday when two cars – a silver Nissan Almera and a blue Honda HR-V – collided outside the building.

The Nissan spun and ended up smashing into the store, bringing an explosion of glass and forcing a packed shelf of alcohol to crash onto the floor.

The fortunate shop assistant had been serving customers shortly before the accident – in the till area where the Nissan came to rest. Thankfully Mr Rajan, 25, had moved away moments before.

Eyewitness Kate Ferguson described the Nissan as ending up “halfway in the shop”.

Shop manager Joseph Anthony Rajah, 28, who was in the back of the store when the crash occurred, said: “Joseph was very lucky to escape. The emergency personnel could not understand how he had survived. He could have been seriously injured or even killed if he stayed in the same position but his only injury was cuts to the hands. He was obviously very shaken up though.”

The man who was driving the Honda and the woman driver of the Nissan did not suffer any serious injuries but they were treated for shock.

Another eyewitness said: “It was quite amazing. The scene looked like something out of an Amercian crime documentary series.” Manager Mr Rajah, 28, said the shop front is due to be repaired in the next two weeks.

The shop has remained closed following the incident.