A LONG-SERVING restaurant owner has been left counting the costs after her car was damaged in a hit-and-run.

Shaih Raj owner Rahela Khanom had parked up her car in Winchester Street on Monday, June 18, as she has done for a number of years, but she was left shocked to find her much-needed silver Volvo V50 had been rammed while she had been away.

At about 10.30pm that evening, the owner of the neighbouring Chillies rushed into the restaurant to inform Rahela of the collision which had happened.

It is believed that the driver rammed into Rahela’s car before speeding away from the crash.

“I am just shocked because how can people do something like that and then drive off, they should leave their details,” Rahela said.

But before she could get to her car, maternity ward volunteer Rahela was stopped by police who were unable to stop the offending driver.

It is not just repairs to the car that Rahela has been left to fork out for as she has also had to buy another load of shopping which had been trapped in the vehicle as her boot was stuck shut.

“I have shopping for the restaurant in the boot and now I can’t open it and I’ve had to buy all of it again,” Rahela added.

“I’ve had to take a day off as I work in hospital but I had no way to get there - I totally rely on my car.”

She is now appealing for anyone who saw what happened or has information about the crash to come forward.

“I would like the person who did it to come to me with their insurance details rather than leaving it to me - it is frustrating.”

It is hoped that CCTV might have caught the offender driving away from the scene of the collision.