The shocked owners of a Watford music store woke up to a "nightmare" today after a car smashed through their shop front causing £10,000 worth of damage.

The driver of a red Seat Altea lost control along St Albans Road shortly after 1.30am. The car hit several bollards on the pavement before ploughing into the Music Shop, destroying the window, three pianos and ten guitars.

The male driver, who has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving, was taken to Watford General Hospital with serious injuries. His male passenger has also been arrested and bailed.

Eddie Conor, 53, was alerted to the accident by a phone call from the police at 1.30am.

He and wife Becky, who live above the shop, looked out the flat window to see "half a car sticking out their store".

Becky, 43, said: "It’s unbelievable, we’re still in shock.

"I looked out the window and the street was flooded with blue lights. The car was halfway through the shop.

"It beggars believe, I can’t quite get my head around it. It’s a nightmare."

Watford Observer:

Eddie has run the Music Shop and school at the premises for 23 years.

He said: "I didn’t see or hear the accident, the police called and all of a sudden I realised something was very wrong.

"The car was sticking out the front of the shop.

"Quite a lot of instruments were smashed - there’s about £10,000 worth of damage.

"It was a real mess, there was glass from the shop front everywhere. We’ve been working since 3am to get it all cleaned up.

"We are going to open today, we still have music lessons booked for today."

A black Mercedes saloon car parked on the side of the road was also damaged in the collision.