A NUMBER of large straw bales have tumbled off a trailer and smashed through the window of a Malton shop.

The bales were being towed on a trailer along Yorkersgate at around 12.30pm when four fell off, rolling onto the pavement and through the main shop window of the Castle Carpets showroom.

Sue Harrison, a staff member in the shop, said she was with a customer when the bales came crashing into the window, creating large shards of glass. She said it was fortunate no-one was hurt: "We are so lucky. It was enormous, the noise of the glass was enormous. It was shocking."

Ms Harrison said the bales were being towed in a straight line, not around the corner, when the four hay bales came off.

Andy Walker, a sales rep who was in the shop at the time, was right next to the window taking a stand down. He said: "It was bad timing. I just couldn't believe the bang.

"Last thing I expected today was hay bales in the shop!"

Ms Harrison said they would need to put up boards, most likely for the next few weeks. "It's our main shop frontage," she added.

Straw and glass were strewn inside the shop, including over an £850 chair.

The bales were taken away and staff from the Fitzwilliam Estate came to remove the shards of glass and clear the area.