SUNDAY lunch customers at the popular Royal Oak pub in Easterton, near Devizes, had a lucky escape when a car crashed through a rear door and ended up in the restaurant.

Just 30 minutes before the restaurant had been packed with more than 20 diners, but when the car smashed into the rear of the pub shortly after 3pm all the tables were empty.

More than 50 customers in the nearby bar area were left stunned and shocked, but unhurt.

The car, believed to have been an automatic, was being driven by a middle aged woman. Her elderly mother and another woman were also in the car.

They had just left the pub after enjoying a meal. The car drove down steps from the car park before crashing through into the pub.

The three were trapped in the car as they were unable to open the doors. They were shocked but unhurt.

Pub landlord Clive Warren, was serving at the bar when the car crashed through into the restaurant.

He said: "We heard the revving of an engine and then all of a sudden there was a crash as a car came through the door.

"It was like a bomb going off and the rubble was running across the carpet towards the bar area followed by dust. It was like a dust storm coming towards us.

"I am just pleased that no one was injured. Thankfully the restaurant was empty but if it had happened half an hour earlier it could have been serious as it was packed with people," he said.

Mr Warren and customers rushed to the car but were unable to open the doors and they were able to talk to the three women.

Two nurses who were in the pub talked to them until the fire brigade and ambulance arrived.

Firefighters from Devizes and Trowbridge attended the scene and freed the women.

They then used an electric winch to haul the car out.

Philip Flowers, leading firefighter at Devizes Fire Station, said: "It did not take long to get the ladies out of the car. They were suffering from shock and were assisted by ambulance paramedics at the scene.

He said: "They were trapped because the car had gone through the doorway and the pillars of the door were blocking the car doors.

"When we were removing the car we had to ensure we didn't disturb the building too much.

"Luckily it had gone through the doorway instead of the brick wall and the doorway was taking all the weight. We had to be gentle when we winched the car out.

"It would have been a lot worse if there had been people in the restaurant when it happened.

"There would have been a lot of people hit by flying debris. The whole area was littered with rubble and glass."

Local builder Roger Pearce helped to make the pub safe after the incident.

He was drinking in the pub at the time, and when he realised the rear wall would need stabilising when the car was removed, he and other customers raced back to his home in the High Street to get steel props.

Mr Pearce said he could not believe what had happened.

He said: "There was a big bang and when the cloud of dust disappeared a car appeared. It was quite horrific."

The pub was able to re-open the same evening.

It is still open for business and is continuing to serve meals, but the restaurant area has been reduced while building work goes on.

It is expected the work to rebuild the restaurant wall and door, and to redecorate the room will take about four weeks.

A police spokesman said there was not thought to be a mechanical fault with the vehicle and said it was unlikely at this stage that the police will be taking any action.

The driver and passengers declined to comment on the accident.