A car ploughed into Rokka Bar and Grill on Warrington Road in Culcheth shortly before 10pm on Friday night, leaving the front of the restaurant looking like it had taken a deeply unwelcome shortcut from the road.
The crash caused a proper mess at the Turkish and Mediterranean restaurant, with smashed windows and an overhead canopy crushed in the impact. It is the sort of scene that makes everyone in the village stop, stare, and mutter, quite rightly, "how on earth has that happened?"
The most important detail, and thank goodness for it, is that no-one was hurt. For a crash into a busy village restaurant, especially at that time on a Friday night, that is a very lucky outcome indeed.
Emergency services sealed off the scene and put a strict cordon in place until a structural engineer can assess the damage. Sensible, if inconvenient. Nobody wants a damaged building deciding to add a second act to the drama.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters worked with other agencies to make the area safe and ensure everyone was accounted for. Crews also checked for gas leaks using a gas reader, with the reassuring result of zero readings.
A spokesman for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Firefighters used a gas reader to monitor the area for any leaks following the impact. There were zero readings. A strict cordon has been put in place by emergency services until a structural engineer can attend."
There will be plenty of chatter around Culcheth about this one, because Rokka Bar and Grill is a well-known spot and Warrington Road is hardly some forgotten back lane. The emergency response deserves credit, calm, quick, and practical. The damage, meanwhile, is grim to see, and the restaurant now faces the hassle and cost of repairs through no fault of its own.
Cheshire Police have logged the incident under reference IML1753557.