A WOMAN had to be cut out of her car after it collided with a restaurant in Monmouth this morning.

The sole occupant suffered a cut leg and had to be freed from the Hyundai car by firefighters using hydraulic cutting equipment.

Gwent Police said the woman was taken to Neville Hall Hospital and that no one else was injured as a result of the collision.

Fire crews from Monmouth, Abergavenny, Malpas and Usk attended the scene at 9.33am at the Fat Cock and Swan, a tapas restaurant on St James’ Street, where the vehicle had hit the front of the restaurant breaking the window and the centre wall.

Jennifer Cock, co-owner of the restaurant, said: "It happened around 9.30am, we heard an almighty crash, the engine of the car was still running."

She added: "The car took part off the wall out and the support pillars for the building, the council’s staff are here to make it safe. There are tenants who live in the flats upstairs who are not allowed to return until the building is made safe."

A Gwent Police Spokeswoman said they were called at around 9.35am this morning and the road was closed whilst the vehicle was recovered.

Firefighters had left the scene by 10.25am. A Monmouthshire County Council spokesman said the route from Wyebridge Street to St James Street has now been reopened but the entrance to Almshouse Street is still closed.