A WOMAN who asked her husband to reverse her new luxury car into a parking space watched in horror as it smashed through a shop window.

The automatic, two-litre Jaguar X-type V6, worth more than £20,000, was a Christmas present from her husband and was only registered in January.

Police say the woman didn't like reversing and got out of the car to allow her husband to park in a bay in Blackburn Road, Accrington, at 2.30pm yesterday.

They said the 74-year-old man was reversing the 52-plate metallic blue car when he lost control, veering off the road hitting a Vauxhall Corsa parked on the road, and crashing through the window of Davies Furniture store.

The couple, from Clitheroe, were treated for shock at the scene but did not require hospital treatment.

The accident brought the town's main shopping street to a standstill as shocked bystanders gathered to watch.

Kath Boddy, of Rhoda Street, Nelson, left her Vauxhall Corsa parked on the street while she went shopping.

When she came back it had been hit by the Jaguar.

"We had only had the car three weeks when someone threw a brick through the window. We have had it 12 months now."

Inspector Phil Cottam of Accrington police said: "It collided with the car then went into the front window of the shop.

"Luckily the occupants managed to get out."

Christine Wilkin-Wyke, 64, of New Lane, Oswaldtwistle, said: "I nearly got crushed. I was outside the shop when it happened. All I heard was an almighty bang like a bomb going off."

James McGough, of Blackburn Road, Accrington, also passing the shop at the time said: "Another ten seconds and we would have gone through the window with the car."

The owner of the shop, Gary Davies, declined to comment.