SHOPPERS watched in horror as a motorcyclist crashed through a glass fire exit at Bournemouth’s biggest Tesco store yesterday afternoon.

The 42-year-old rider, who is believed to have lost control of his blue Kawaski in the car-park of the Riverside Avenue supermarket, suffered minor injuries and was taken to Poole Hospital as a precaution.

Shocked eyewitness grandmother Margaret Howe, who lives near the store, was shopping with her husband David when she heard the commotion at 3.23 pm.

She said: "There was an almighty bang and we thought a display shelf had fallen. There was glass strewn everywhere and when my husband looked closer he saw a motorbike in the aisle and smelt oil.

“There was a motorcyclist lying in the aisle; a man who looked quite badly injured. My husband saw his legs and blood on the floor before the area was cordoned off.

“It was shocking; we'd just gone in to buy a couple of things as my grandsons are coming over this evening. It all happened in the section where crisps and peanuts are on display.”

Margaret, who is in her 60s, added: "It's lucky that there was no-one in that aisle at the time or they could have been badly hurt. It looked like the motorcyclist had come down through the car park before crashing through the plate glass window.

"We were about to go into that part of the store and it was just before the busy time when mums usually come in with their children after school. I’m so thankful no-one else was injured."

Tony Hughes, 39, of Southbourne, said the motorcyclist had become wedged under a set of shelves after trying to do a wheelie and crashing through the window.

“He’d already missed me by about two feet as he went around the car park and I shouted after him,” he said.

“He tried to do a wheelie but he overcooked it halfway through. He landed with the front wheel facing to the right and then he was in trouble.”

Mr Hughes, who had been shopping ahead of a visit to Glastonbury Festival, added: “I thought he’d killed somebody.

“I was absolutely furious. It could have been so much worse than it was.”

He said the man sat up and removed his helmet almost straight away, but had suffered a serious graze as he wasn’t wearing motorbike leathers.

“It happened almost in slow motion,” he said.

“It’s lucky that no one else was hurt.”

There were skid marks in an area of the car-park which was cordoned off. The bike, which is registered to a London man, was later recovered.

The store manager refused to comment on the incident.

Police Constable Tim Brehmer, of the Eastern Traffic Unit, said: “This collision happened at a busy time of the day and it is extremely lucky nobody else was injured.

“I am appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident take place to contact Dorset Police in confidence.

“I would also urge anyone who may have information about the manner of driving by the rider prior to the collision to call the non-emergency number 101.”

No arrests have been made.