The manager of a pub in Great Yarmouth has described being “devastated” and “shaken up” after witnessing a car flip onto its side and crash into the building’s front wall.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: The Albion pub in Great Yarmouth after a car ploughed into it. Picture: LAUREN DE BOISEThe Albion pub in Great Yarmouth after a car ploughed into it. Picture: LAUREN DE BOISE (Image: Archant 2020)

A black Toyota Celica collided into The Albion pub before rolling onto its side and hitting a pedestrian at about 9.40pm on Tuesday (October 27).

The pub, which sits on the corner of Nelson Road Central and Albion Road, and was not open at the time of the crash, saw one of its front walls, as well as the entrance, destroyed, while rubble, glass and broken furniture were strewn inside the building and across the path.

By Wednesday morning (October 28), the front of the now exposed building was being supported by two timber frames and fencing had been erected around the pub, with a sign warning the structure is dangerous.

But the damage, according to the pub’s manager, “could have been a lot worse”.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Emergency services at the scene after a car crashed into the Albion pub in Great Yarmouth on Tuesday (October 27). Picture: Adam McNamara.Emergency services at the scene after a car crashed into the Albion pub in Great Yarmouth on Tuesday (October 27). Picture: Adam McNamara. (Image: Archant)

The man, who does not wish to be named, said: “If this happened Tuesday night last week, there would have been 20 or 30 people there, because they were filming outside the pub,” he said.

Until last week, cast and crew for a Portuguese film had been shooting scenes for the movie at the premises.

“It could have wiped out a lot of people,” the manager said.

“If that had been a week ago it would have been a different story.”

Great Yarmouth Mercury: The Albion pub in Great Yarmouth after a car ploughed into it. Picture: LAUREN DE BOISEThe Albion pub in Great Yarmouth after a car ploughed into it. Picture: LAUREN DE BOISE (Image: Archant 2020)

The manager, who has been running the pub for a year and a half, was working on Tuesday night in the pub across the road, The Great Eastern, which has the same landlords as The Albion.

He said he was standing outside the Great Eastern when he saw a car “hurtling down” Nelson Road Central.

The car hit a ‘give way’ sign outside the pub before flipping over and crashing into the pub’s wall and entrance, he said.

“The noise was absolutely horrendous,” he added.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: The Albion pub in Great Yarmouth after a car ploughed into it. Picture: LAUREN DE BOISEThe Albion pub in Great Yarmouth after a car ploughed into it. Picture: LAUREN DE BOISE (Image: Archant 2020)

When the manager ran around the corner to see what had happened, the car was on its side on the road.

He also saw a man’s leg under the car, he said.

The manager was first on the scene and called the ambulance and police.

“A few people turned the car over, a man was underneath it, he was still alive.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: The Albion pub in Great Yarmouth after a car ploughed into it. Picture: LAUREN DE BOISEThe Albion pub in Great Yarmouth after a car ploughed into it. Picture: LAUREN DE BOISE (Image: Archant 2020)

“I was devastated. I was shaken up, it’s not something you witness everyday,” he said.

Police, paramedics and firefighters attended the scene, and both the pedestrian and driver of the car were taken to James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston for treatment for minor injuries.

A spokesman for Norfolk Constabulary has said the pedestrian was “very lucky” to escape without serious injury.

A woman who lives nearby said: “I heard a big bang. We were watching the telly, not taking a blind bit of notice. We’re just so used to different noises on this road.”

Great Yarmouth Mercury: The Albion pub in Great Yarmouth after a car ploughed into it. Picture: LAUREN DE BOISEThe Albion pub in Great Yarmouth after a car ploughed into it. Picture: LAUREN DE BOISE (Image: Archant 2020)

Another woman, who runs a neighbouring business, said: “I heard a big bang. It’s very weird. I don’t understand how it happened.”