COMMUTERS and residents watched in disbelief as an unmanned car hit a pedestrian before smashing into the railings of a city centre pub.

Rush-hour drivers could not believe their eyes as they drove past the impaled vehicle outside Fat Cat on Lower Watergate Street on Wednesday.

Although one woman was hit by the Ford Escort, she was not believed to have suffered any serious injuries and was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital for examination only.

Fat Cat licensee Louise Pritchard witnessed the events.

She said the car had appeared to have broken down on the road. The driver was outside, trying to wheel it to safety.

'I was sitting outside, paying for my taxi, when I saw the car careering down Watergate Street,' she said.

'It was out of control, coming downhill and crossing on to the other side of the road. There was no-one in it at the time but the driver managed to grab on.' She added: 'He was running beside it, trying to control it. Then he fell on the ground himself.

'At this point we saw two lady pedestrians walking down on the pavement and the car was careering into the back of them. We were yelling to get out of the way. I don't think they could hear what we were saying.

'The car hit the back of one of them, she was on the bonnet, then it went through the railings and pushed her forwards. Her handbag and shopping were pinned between the fence and the car.'

Barman Steven Troughton was just metres away. He called the ambulance.

He said: 'I heard someone scream 'get out of the way' and then I heard a big bump. I think it must have been doing 10 or 15mph.'