The family of a woman who was pinned against a wall after an elderly man lost control of his car in a pedestrian area of Chippenham Market Place believe she is lucky to be alive.

Nicola Brown, 37, of Sherington Mead, Chippenham, was struck by the car before it careered into A4 Stationers at about 3pm on Monday. Her father John Snell of Farleigh Close, Chippenham, said: “My daughter is very lucky to be alive.

“I was with my wife Sue in the Hearing Company when the car hit the building. The noise was unbelievable, it was like a jet plane taking off.”

Mrs Brown was on her way to her car to collect her children from school when she was hit by the car as it travelled along River Street.

Mr Snell said: “Nicola is really shaken up but it could have been so much worse. I thought I could be telling my grandchildren that their mother had died.”

Mr and Mrs Snell had rushed out of the nearby Hearing Company to find Mrs Brown injured.

She was taken to Swindon’s Great Western Hospital with ligament damage to her left hand and a fracture to her right arm.

The 81-year-old driver of the car is in the Royal United Hospital Bath recovering from extensive injuries including a broken neck.