‘We won’t survive’ – popular garage forced to close as car crashed into MOT centre as owner fears it may never come back

A POPULAR garage has closed after a car crashed into its MOT centre, leaving its owner fearing for the future.

The family business has been fenced off for weeks after sustaining significant structural damage.

Alan Milford, who owns the property, said that it may be a struggle for the garage to survive as it is likely to have to remain closed for up to four months.

The 62-year-old opened AM Autos in Ringwood, Hampshire, in 1990 and has devoted his life to it since the death of his first wife.

But on February 20, a Chrysler Voyager MPV careered into the MOT centre attached to the garage.

It took out the building's main support pillar as well as the electric meter that supplied the site.

Alan told the : "It’s taken me all these years to build this business and it’s being destroyed in no time.

"We're a busy business and I just hope that we'll come back when I can get it, but like I said, it is just no fault of our own.

"It was the best place to destroy it.

"If he'd have gone over a little and hit the window, it would have been easy [to repair]."

The car remains lodged in the wall as the damage makes it unsafe to remove.

Alan is now waiting to get the green light from his insurance company to begin repairs.

All the while, he is unable to accept customers and is still paying his three staff members, losing money hand over fist.

Thankfully, nobody was injured during the crash.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said: "We were called to a report of a single-vehicle collision on Christchurch Road, Ringwood at 10.20pm on Tuesday 20 February.

The vehicle involved – a Chrysler – collided with A.M Autos on Ringwood Trading Estate.

"No injuries were reported."

It comes after a car dealer revealed four things you should never say if you want to walk away with a good deal.

Meanwhile, a mechanic shared how a common dashboard warning light could see you spending thousands on repairs.