The Wortwell Bell landlord speaks out after car crash

Paul Holland, who runs The Wortwell Bell, said a community effort had allowed him to welcome customers just hours after the collision.

The crash, on Friday night, saw a car drive into the front of the building, destroying the porch area and causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

There were still customers in the pub at the time and Mr Holland said it had been lucky none of them were hurt.

The landlord, who took over the pub in February this year, said the incident had brought the community together.

Emergency services were called to the pub at around 11.30pm on Friday (Image: Simon Leggett)

"Loads of locals came up to help - we had several guys here.

"Once we'd moved the brickwork out of the bar and put a new stud wall up to board where the windows are, our cleaners had a ring around and a mob hand of cleaners came along to help, too.

"The council was happy that we'd done enough to open - it just goes to show many hands make light work."

Mr Holland added the damage was "absolutely horrible" to see.

"It's such a shame - one of the really old timber frames will have to go from the early, listed part of the pub," he said. 

"We're all just so thankful nobody was killed because they really could have been."
 

Mr Holland took the pub on in February (Image: Bruno Brown)

The landlord explained five patrons were still on the premises at the time of the crash.

"We had two outside and three were left in," he said.

"There was one guy who normally sits outside on one of the benches but thankfully he just didn't that night.

READ MORE: Car crashes into The Wortwell Bell pub near Harleston

"He would've definitely been hit - it's one of those small spells of fate that could so easily have gone differently.

"There's a lot of jigsaw pieces we'll have to put together with insurance and working with the police to figure out what happened but we'll get there eventually.

"I'd just really like to thank everyone who came forward to help us out."