Close shave for barber as car smashes into shop

A BARBER escaped injury when a car mounted a pavement and smashed through the window of his business.

A grey Nissan X-Trail careered across County Place in Perth before ending up wedged in the window of Archie’s Barbers.

The shopfront was badly damaged and police kept people away from the scene and evacuated nearby premises amid fears that a gas pipe might have been ruptured.

Barber Erkan Tas, 35, was in the shop when the accident happened at about 3.20pm yesterday. He said: “I looked out of the window and saw this car coming towards me. The driver appeared to be shaking and there was a big noise when he crashed into the shop.”

Mr Tas, who was left shocked by the near miss, said it was fortunate that no one had been on the pavement at the time.

It is understood the driver may have been taken unwell before the accident. He was trapped in his vehicle and two units from Scottish Fire and Rescue attended and were involved in freeing him.

The man was treated at the scene by ambulance personnel before being taken to hospital. Information about his condition has not yet been released.

County Place was closed off and nearby businesses were evacuated during the incident as possible damage to the gas supply had to be investigated as there was a meter to the rear of the shopfront.

James Jenkins, 32, from Scone, said: “If anyone had been in the path of the vehicle they would have been killed instantly.

“It was only a few minutes before that I had passed that way.”

Emergency services at the crash scene.