The driver escaped with minor injuries after ploughing into furniture and carpet store Dickinsons causing £2,000 worth of damage.

Trevor Witts, a spokesman for Dickinsons, said: "The borough engineer came out to check it over but there's no real structural damage.

"It is a fake wall which was put there for aesthetic purposes. It has caused around £2,000 worth of damage and we are awaiting the insurance company to get in touch with us. He made the biggest impact on the lamp post outside, he's decapitated that and then pushed the corner of our wall."

The incident happened at 9.50pm on Thursday.

Sgt Andy Bramhall, from Chorley police, said police spotted an M-registered silver Corsa driving along Pall Mall at speed: "They turned round to get behind the vehicles and when they got to the roundabout they found it had crashed. The driver, a male, got out of the car and a breathalyser test was negative. The driver says his brakes failed."