A MOTHER is desperately trying to piece her business back together after a car ploughed into it at speed.

Toni Gray said her life has been “a nightmare” since a motorist crashed into her Ferry Nice Food takeaway in Renfrew, causing damage that will cost more than £10,000 to repair.

Miss Gray, who has a 10-month-old son, had built the business up over four years but has now been left with no source of income and her three staff are without jobs.

A man has been charged with dangerous driving in connection with the incident, which saw a Volkswagen Golf crash into the shop just after 6.30pm on May 14.

Miss Gray hopes she may be able to get the business open again in three to four weeks but does not know where she’s going to find the cash.

The 25-year-old said: “We were at the shop on Monday and I’m hoping we can get back open soon but we’re looking at at least £10,000 worth of damage.

“The insurance isn’t going to pay out for months yet, so I’ve got to find the £10,000 from somewhere else.

“My dad is a builder and I’m hoping he will be able to help, but we are going to need to get electricians as well.

“My shop is destroyed. I didn’t think it was going to be as bad as it was when I got the call but then we turned up and it was just a disaster.

“I don’t have a source of income now and I’ve got a wee boy to look after. My staff have not got jobs now and one of them has a family.”

Miss Gray, who lives in Renfrew, said that, as the business was doing so well, she had been able to go

part-time to spend more time with her son, but is now likely to have to return full-time to get things up and running again.

On the night of the incident, eight people had to be evacuated from a block of flats next door and make plans to stay with family and friends while the building was surveyed.

The residents were able to return to their homes the following night.

Police have been conducting speed checks in the area in an effort to prevent a similar incident happening in the future.