A Rayleigh dry cleaner's is open again today - days after its shop was virtually demolished by a bus.

Assistant Maureen Briggs was shocked but otherwise unhurt when the single decker came crashing through the wall of the shop in Station Road.

The Thamesway vehicle also hit a telegraph pole during Friday morning's incident. Surveyors are now looking at how they can reconstruct the building which has housed a branch of Dry Cleaning Plus for the past 18 months.

Company director Mark Ayres said: "Maureen was very lucky she escaped unhurt.

"Buses park outside, and this one started up and hit the front left hand corner of the building. It then reversed and then hit the side of the building so it was almost demolished."

Customers' clothes at the shop had to be recleaned and brought back on Friday afternoon.

The van returned on Monday to return and collect clothing and a temporary building will soon be placed on the site while the main shop is rebuilt.

Three years ago, a bus demolished a cafe in the same area. There were no passengers on the bus at the time and the driver was shaken but otherwise unhurt, said Thamesway Traffic manager Chris McCormick. He added: "The bus has been checked by a Ministry of Transport inspector and found to have no faults.

"We are not fully aware of what actually happened and have launched an internal investigation."

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