A CHURCH worker who was left pinned behind her desk when a car crashed into the front of the building has been named.
Juliette Harvey was working in the office of Loughton Methodist Church, in the High Road, when a black BMW ploughed into the building at about 4pm yesterday (July 30).
The church co-ordinator, who is a mum of two young children and lives in the Loughton area, was the only staff member in the office at the time of the incident.
She was airlifted to Queens Hospital, Romford, and later transferred to the Royal London Hospital, where she is being treated for injuries to her leg and pelvis. Her condition is described as stable.
Church spokeswoman Christine Baker drove to the church shortly after the incident took place.
She said the glass front of the office and first-floor tower room was destroyed, leaving the rooms ‘completely exposed’.
“Juliette was trapped behind the desk. As I understand it, a couple of people from Gladley’s cafe, sitting outside, leapt to their feet and moved the car.
“I’m still shaking and I’m a fairly tough old bird. The week before we were running the holiday club and we had 170 children in the church.”
Mrs Baker said the church's office desks had been replaced with new curved models only last week.
“Had the old desks still been there she might have been far more seriously injured,” she added.
The car was being driven by a woman from Loughton who police say is ‘badly shaken’.
Jamie Cecil, 24, runs Lea Valley Karate Academy in the church hall every week and had met with Ms Harvey ten minutes before the incident.
He was sitting outside Gladley's, next to the church, when he heard an engine revving 'quite frantically'.
"I looked up just in time to see the car plough in to the church office. I believe it came straight down Traps Hill, over the High Road and straight into the church."
Mr Cecil said two male customers pulled the driver from her car seat while he called 999.
"One of the gentlemen from the café then got in to the driver’s seat and, with the assistance of people also pulling the car, reversed it out so that Juliette could receive medical attention."
The High Road was closed until shortly before 10pm while police carried out initial investigations and a recovery firm removed the car from the scene.
Structural engineers were also called to assess damage to the church.
Any witnesses who have not yet contacted officers, or anyone with information about events leading up to the crash, is asked to contact PC Dan Corr at Chigwell Road Policing Unit on 101.
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