A DRIVER has been praised for avoiding pedestrians after his car careered out of control following a collision in Yate.

Two double manned ambulances and a response car were called to the scene just before 3pm yesterday.

The Great Western Air Ambulance was also put on standby in case it was also needed at the incident.

Paramedic Hannah Turner, from Bristol ambulance station, said: "A small hatchback car was travelling along Station Road when it was involved in a collision with a van and careered across the road.

"It mounted the pavement and travelled across the grass into the shopping centre car park, finally coming to rest when it struck another car.

"The driver did tremendously well to avoid pedestrians on the pavement and in the car park. Their quick thinking narrowly avoided a tragedy."

Hannah also commended bystanders who helped at the scene and expressed her thanks to all the shoppers who were blocked in the car park while the ambulance crews assessed and treated the injured patients.

"It was a gloriously sunny afternoon and people’s frozen shopping must have been defrosting. We’d like to thank them for their patience!"