A corner shop in Tonteg, Rhondda Cynon Daf, that became famous after a grandmother was caught on its rising shutter and left dangling in the air has hit the headlines again, this time after a silver Jaguar crashed through its front. CCTV footage caught the moment the car mounted the bollards outside and ploughed into the store’s coffee machine.
The Best-One shop first went viral in March 2024, when staff member Anne Hughes became caught on the shutter while waiting for the shop to open ahead of her shift. She was left hanging about 7ft (2.1 metres) above the pavement, shouting for the owner’s help, and the footage was viewed tens of millions of times. Anne died in 2025.
What happened on Friday
Donna Davies, who has worked at the shop for several years, said: “The car just came straight through, it was a loud noise and we didn’t know what was happening but thought it could have been ram-raiders. It was scary.” She ran outside to find an elderly driver and passenger, both regulars at the shop, in the vehicle. “The driver said his foot slipped when he went to get out the car and the car came straight in.”
Hakim Akram, the shop owner’s nephew, who also works in the store, said: “It was a bit of a shock, he just came flying through – I didn’t even know what happened until I saw the car. It was surreal and very loud. People thought it was a prank and AI when they first saw it on social media.”
The shop front was badly damaged, but the owner and family worked late on Friday and Saturday to repair it and keep the doors open for customers.
The shutter gets an update
Anne’s viral moment had already been immortalised in paint by local graffiti artist Tee2Sugars, who reproduced the image of her dangling from the shutter on the panel itself. Following the crash, the artist returned to add the Jaguar to the artwork, turning the famous shutter into an accidental before-and-after of two viral moments at the same small shop.
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Donna Davies, who worked with Anne before her death, said: “Anne would be laughing at this, I think she’d like the updated shutter. People are coming in the shop this morning and finding it amusing. It wasn’t at the time, but looking back we can smile.”
A family’s reaction
Anne Hughes’ family told BBC Wales they were glad nobody was seriously hurt. Her son Ceri joked: “We can’t believe the shop’s luck, we are starting to wonder if all of this is an inside job. Tonteg Best-One – the only shop in the UK where you can be lifted 7ft in the air on Monday and driven through on a Friday.”
Her grandchildren, Lilly and Alex, said their grandmother would be pleased with the new addition, adding: “Nan always preferred a Bentley but would settle with a Jag next to her on the shutter.” The family were also relieved that the original artwork of Anne was not damaged in the crash.
Why it matters
Beyond the viral appeal, the story underlines how a single piece of unintended local footage can travel globally and become a permanent piece of a community’s identity. For a small independent shop in a village high street already under pressure from retail costs, the crash and the repair effort are a reminder of the fragility of independent retailers – and of the neighbours who keep them open.
What happens next
The Jaguar’s driver and passenger, both regular customers, were not taken to hospital, and no police investigation has been reported. Attention now turns to the cost of replacing the smashed frontage and the repair work already under way, alongside whatever further coverage the updated shutter artwork attracts to the shop.
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