Woman and child injured after ceiling collapses on diners at Toby Carvery

Two people were injured and taken to hospital after a ceiling collapsed at a Toby Carvery in Gloucester.

A young girl and a woman were reportedly helped by other guests after the debris fell upon them at the restaurant in Brockworth on Sunday evening.

Speaking to the BBC, fellow diner Joey Pass said he was standing outside with his children when he heard a “massive crash” from inside.

"I could see loads of dust and heard a kid scream so I rushed in to see if everyone was OK," he said.

South Western Ambulance Service said it took two patients, who did not sustain major injuries, to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

In a video posted to social media, a large piece of plaster can be seen on the floor, while light fittings hang from the ceilings, with debris and dust over the tables and chairs.

"First aid was given by a frantic woman who was eating there," Mr Pass said.

"I felt concerned and worried - what if that happened to my children or my wife?

"My daughter keeps asking about the little girl that the roof fell on."

A spokesperson for Toby Carvery said: “We can confirm that a small section of our Brockworth restaurant has been affected by damage to the ceiling.

"As a precaution we immediately evacuated the restaurant and called on the support of the emergency services to assess the building and guests who were dining in the vicinity."

The restaurant chain apologised for the incident and said the building had been confirmed as being safe to use and its maintenance contractors would carry out repairs.

"Whilst we were grateful to hear from the emergency services that incident did not cause harm to any guests, we apologise to all guests impacted and our care team will be contacting them directly over the coming days," a spokesperson added.