Welsh shopper plummets 12ft through trap door in pet shop

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Shopper Teresa Aprea, 52, plummeted through the cellar door and broke her leg
She fell down 15 steps in front of two female horrified shoppers
The shocking CCTV footage was filmed inside Reggae Reptiles in Neath, Wales

Published: 09:26 EDT, 14 April 2017 | Updated: 09:36 EDT, 14 April 2017

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A shopper was caught on CCTV plunging 12ft through an open trap door into a pet store cellar.

Shopper Teresa Aprea, 52, plummeted through the cellar door - and broke her leg falling down 15 steps in front of horrified shoppers.

The shocking CCTV footage inside the Reggae Reptiles store in Neath, Wales, shows Ms Aprea walking around the corner before she disappears from sight.

Two female shoppers hold up their hands in horror as shop workers then run to the injured shopper's aide.

Ms Aprea broke her leg in three places - but the pet shop in Skewen, near Neath, South Wales, claimed the cellar opening was taped off and there were warnings in store.

The shopper said: 'I was walking around the aisles and as I turned the corner I fell down 15 steps into the cellar as I didn't realise that the hatch was open.

'I landed on my foot resulting in me fracturing my leg in three places, while I have severe bruising all over the feet, legs and arms.'

Shopper Teresa Aprea (left), 52, plummeted through the cellar door - and broke her leg (right) falling down 15 steps in front of horrified shoppers

Ms Aprea, of Neath, also said she had a long wait for help as she lay in the storage cellar.

Angela Cottam, owner of Reggae Reptiles, said: 'She was in the other aisle looking around the shop and she fell down the hatch despite only being in the shop for three minutes.

'As she was walking towards the hatch I shouted "Watch the hatch," but she seemed to me to be in a world of her own and fell down.

'Ben, the manager, was down the cellar and I was stood at the top, the hatch was only open for five minutes.

The shocking CCTV footage inside the Reggae Reptiles store in Neath, Wales, shows Ms Aprea walking around the corner before she disappears from sight

'We immediately called an ambulance and we did everything we could to help her.

'I washed her feet for her and we tried to keep her comfortable.

'I served the two customers that were already in the shop and then we closed.

'It was a nasty accident and I am really sorry that it happened,' she said, but added that she didn't believe Ms Aprea was looking where she was going.