How not to leave the supermarket: Elderly driver ploughs vehicle into car wash she mistook for shop exit

An elderly motorist had a lucky escape when she ploughed her car into a car wash she mistook for a supermarket exit.

The female pensioner, who has not been named, crashed her white Peugeot in Rugby, Warks, at 11am while trying to exit the supermarket.

She had just finished shopping at Sainsbury's when she crashed into the frame of the car wash, which she thought was the way out of the store.

The steel barriers came crashing down on her white Peugeot 406 causing thousands of pounds of damage.

Remarkably, the bemused OAP, believed to be in her 70s, stumbled from the wreckage without any injuries and even joked to staff who ran to her aid.

She quipped 'my grandkids won't let me live this down' as shocked onlookers rushed to help.

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: 'We’re delighted that the customer was unharmed and in good spirits after the accident.

'Our car wash will remain closed while we make repairs and we hope to see the customer in store again soon.'

One worker at the store, who did not wish to be named, added: 'There's two tonnes of metal in that car wash so she had a very lucky escape.

'She was quite jovial about it - and joked to staff that she thought it was the way out. West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed they were not required at the scene.