The accident happened at 9.15am when the female driver appears to have crossed two small parking barriers and then hit a light pole pulling the light pole onto the ground and exposing live wires.

Woolworths went on to emergency power but several shops had to close. Ron Achison at the Tura Beach newsagents said that someone came into the shop to tell him that there had been an accident and there were exposed electricity wires on the ground. Mr Achison said: "I had a look and decided to call the fire brigade. We then had to close the shop."

The driver is understood not be injured but was very shaken by her experience.

A spokes woman for Essential Energy said: "Essential Energy received a report shortly before 9.15am on Monday of a vehicle collision on Tura Beach Drive near the intersection with Sapphire Coast Drive.

"Essential Energy immediately isolated power supply to the area as a precautionary safety measure resulting in an unplanned power outage affecting 1,746 customers in Tura Beach.

"Crews from Bega Depot attended the scene to ensure the area was safe, and restored power to customers at 9.59am."