Car ploughs into crowd at town Christmas market

A MOTORIST drove into a crowd of shoppers at a Christmas market yesterday afternoon.

Three arrests were made in the wake of the incident in Congleton town centre, near Stoke-on-Trent, after 4pm but Cheshire Police indicated it was not “terror-related.” No one was hurt.

Eyewitnesses said there were around 800 people, including families with small children, enjoying the market when a car “doing at least 50mph ploughed into the crowd”.

Steve Brown, owner of Steve Brown Antiques in the High Street, said he was about to close his shop when he suddenly heard screeching tyres and people screaming.

Mr Brown, 58, said: “It was absolutely horrendous. A car has come screeching down the High Street. He must have been doing at least 50mph. People were jumping out of the way. I saw one elderly lady who had to jump out of the way – she’s very shook up. We all are.”

Cheshire Police, in a statement, said: “Three people have been arrested following an incident in Congleton. The car was found abandoned.”