A convenience store has been forced to close after a car smashed through the side of the building.

The delivery entrance to the One Stop, in Chatham, has been boarded up and fencing erected while repairs take place.

The shop is also a parcel pick-up and drop-off for delivery firm Evri, and scores of customers would be awaiting Christmas gifts.

It is understood that some packages have suffered damage due to the incident and although staff were unable to access them due to structural issues, they are safe and will now be collected and delivered by Evri.

Arrangements have been also put in place for the parcels which are not in the impacted area to be redistributed for delivery and collection, to avoid too much additional hassle for customers.

The emergency services, including police and fire crews, were called to the crash at around 5.30pm on Saturday (December 16) and arrangements were made to recover the vehicle.

Video footage showing the aftermath captured a silver car with its hazard lights flashing stuck in the side of the building, which is near the junction with Magpie Hall Road and Shipwrights Avenue.

No injuries were reported.

A One Stop spokesperson added: “A car lost control whilst driving down the road, resulting in an unfortunate collision with the store resulting in its closure.

“No colleagues were harmed, and we are working hard to get the store reopened as soon as possible.”

Following the crash, it became clear the shop would have to close and rather than throw out perishable items, staff donated around £1,000 worth of groceries to homeless charity Gillingham Street Angels.

Chief executive Neil Charlick has since thanked the shopkeepers for their “amazing” generosity.

He said they filled two van loads of food donated by One Stop, which is a subsidiary of Tesco.

Mr Charlick added: “I love it when people do things like this. We are here to feed people, but we cannot do it without this kind of support, especially at this time of year.

“It is an amazing gesture, just a shame it is not in great circumstances.”

Among the groceries handed over were dairy products, bread and ready meals which will be distributed from the charity’s shop in Skinner Street, Gillingham, in the run-up to Christmas.

It is thought the mini-market will be closed until New Year but no re-opening date has been confirmed.