The owner of a café that was forced to shut its doors after a car came crashing through its window said her main concern was for the driver.
On May 7 Momo's Café on Westfield Street in St Helens suffered major damage when a driver had a medical episode at the wheel of his car and drove into the building.
Owner Claire Rigby, initially believed that the café would be closed for around ten days but has now said she has "no idea when it will reopen again". However, Claire said the damage to the café was the last thing on her mind, and wanted to make sure the driver was okay.
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Claire told the ECHO: "We are waiting for the landlord to come down today as all the damage to the building is structural but we don't know how long it is going to take to get fixed. To be honest I've been helping the girlfriend of the man who crashed into the building.
"She nearly lost her partner and he was on the way to pick her up from work. They are both so upset about what happened but I wanted to make sure that they were both okay before focusing on the café."
Claire said the man suffered superficial cuts and bruises and is recovering well at home. Momo's Café described as "one of the most beloved places in St Helens", provides a safe haven for people with autism and anxiety disorders. Claire said she has been inundated with support from the community since the accident.
She said: "To be honest that is all that matters as long as he is okay, when we are back up and running I'm going to invite him down. Check him over with my own eyes and give him a hug.
"I'm still going to be paying my staff so the next thing is to make sure they are all okay, and then I want to make sure my customers are okay. Then I will get to myself at the end."
"We look after the community and they, in turn, are helping to look after us now but we will get back up and running again."
Claire also confirmed that all events at the café will be cancelled for the foreseeable future. A customer at Momo's has set up a Just Giving page to help the café get back on its feet. If you would like to donate click here.
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