A woman is fighting for life after a car crashed into the front of a charity shop in Petts Wood yesterday.

The charity shop volunteer had to be rescued when she became trapped under the vehicle after an elderly driver's car ploughed into Give2Give in Queensway just after 4pm.

Yesterday evening the Met Police confirmed she was in a life-threatening condition at a south London hospital.

There has been no change in her condition, police confirmed today.

Cliff Kirsch and Nigel Collett were sat outside the Royal British Legion club next to Morrison's when they heard a bang and looked up to see the destroyed shopfront.

Mr Collett, 44, said the sound of the impact was "like a bomb going off".

After realising what had happened, Mr Kirsch, 62, immediately dialled 999 as they rushed across the road.

He said: "As soon as we realised it was a car, I just got on the phone, ran over there and started pulling everyone out.

"All we heard was a great big bang. When we looked over the shop front was all falling down.

"We knew it was something major."

News Shopper:

The Give2Give charity shop boarded up today. 

The pair began by helping the elderly couple out of the car, as well as those in the shop at the time.

Mr Collett, who knows the victim, told News Shopper: "I pulled the elderly people from the car and realised Mary was underneath."

Because the car was pushed up against a wall in the left hand corner of the shop, they were unable to lift it off the victim, and instead told to wait until firefighters arrived.

Mr Collett added: "When I found out it was my friend's mum, you just try and do anything you can."

He said the next 48 hours are critical for Mary, who he said had suffered serious external and internal injuries.

"I just hope she pulls through," he added.

Debbie Fox, manager at nearby charity shop St Christopher's, rushed over to help after she heard the crash.

The 53-year-old told News Shopper: "They shot out of Morrison's car park, straight over into the shop.

"She was underneath. She was talking a little bit and we were trying to help her.

"The worst thing about it was trying to get her out. I think they had to physically lift the car."

Ms Fox said it took around two hours to free the woman, before she was taken to King's College Hospital. 

"Thank God the shop was shut. Imagine if people had been in there," she added.

The elderly couple driving the car appeared unharmed in the accident.

Residents said it was not the first time a car has crashed after coming out of the steep exit from Morrison's car park and urged the council to consider installing bollards outside the row of shops.

Alby Madekwe, from Orpington, was coming out of the gym when the crash happened.

The 19-year-old told News Shopper: "An elderly man came out of the Morrison's car park and went straight through the Give2Give window crushing a lady under the car. 

"A family friend of mine who is a firefighter went in and went under the car with her and she was speaking."

The fire brigade used lifting equipment to free the trapped woman.

London Fire Brigade Group Manager David Lindridge, who attended the incident, said: “The car drove a considerable way into the shop before coming to rest and presented crews with a difficult rescue. 

"The Brigade’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team was mobilised due to potential structural damage to the building but was not required following an assessment by our Tactical Advisor."

Staff from neighbouring shop The Bed Post were inside when they heard the crash.

After the crash they were trapped inside because of the police cordon and emergency vehicles outside the shop.

Police closed off a section of the busy road while the rescue operation was under way. Part of Queensway remained cordoned yesterday evening.

Today the road had reopened and the shop boarded up, hiding the damage caused by yesterday's horror cash.

A spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service said: “We sent two ambulance crews, an advanced paramedic, a single responder in a car, an incident response officer, and a team leader to scene alongside London’s Air Ambulance.

"The first of our medics arrived at the scene in under eight minutes.”

Did you see what happened? Call 01689 885721 or email jessica.bell@london.newsquest.co.uk.