'It was like an explosion': Car smashes through wall of Northampton cafe in dramatic overnight crash

A Northampton cafe owner has been left to pick up the pieces today, Sunday, after a car smashed through a wall into its seating area overnight.

The side wall of Wolfie's Cafe in Earl Street was reduced to rubble this morning (April 26) when a silver Peugeot ploughed straight into the dining area. Dramatic photographs show how the car was left jutting out of the diner amidst a pile of rubble and bricks.

Thankfully, no one was hurt in the crash.

A couple, who live in a flat above Wolfie's, woke up this morning at around 5am by the sound of the car smashing into the cafe's wall.

"It was like an explosion," said one of the residents. "When I heard the commotion I looked out my window and saw what happened."

The junction of Earl Street, Clare Street and Military Road has been cordoned off by police. Northamptonshire Police has been contacted for a comment about the incident.

Today, Wolfie's owner, Kelly Riley, has been left to pick up the pieces of her ruined cafe.

She told the Chronicle & Echo: "It's just depressing. We've had crashes before but this is the worst one ever.

"I'm in the middle of selling the cafe too. That was already on hold because of Covid-19, and now this. I don't know when it's going to happen.

"We were just running a takeaway service between 9am and noon to keep the cafe ticking over and keep staff paid. We were just trying to get by, and now this has happened."

This morning, Kelly's friends have launched a JustGiving page to help the cafe owner with her bills while she deals with the damage.Meanwhile, the two residents living upstairs have been told they won't be able to go home today.

They told the Chron: "It's a nightmare. You can see daylight through my living room floor.

"I'm worried when they remove the car there will be even more damage to the structure.

"As of right now, we've got nowhere to stay tonight. I don't even know what to do."

Cadent Gas was at the scene this morning to isolate the cafe's gas works.