A mother claims an office chair saved the life of her son after a car crashed into his workplace, pinning him behind a counter.

As the wheeled chair rolled backwards on impact, this prevented Raanan Ben Aviel from being crushed, according to his mother Heidi. "As it was a rolling chair it pushed him along. Otherwise he may have been run over," said Ms Ben Aviel.

Despite his lucky escape, the 14-year-old suffered extensive injuries and has yet to learn whether he can go back to school.

Even if he does start the new term, doctors say he must avoid physical exertion until his injuries heal over. Raanan was working as a summer student at the International Bonded Couriers Express Centre in Pembroke when an SUV ploughed through the glass doors at 10 a.m. on Friday.

Sat behind the counter, he was suddenly forced backwards by the car's impact and trapped against the wall.

He sustained a torn colon, punctured bowel and bruising to his internal organs. Raanan underwent surgery at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and was kept overnight in the Intensive Care Unit.

Yesterday, Ms Ben Aviel said her son is now being treated in the children's Gosling Ward and that he was making progress. "He's progressing nicely and is able to sit up, but is still tender and in some discomfort," she said. "We can't say at this point whether he will be able to start school, and once he does return he can't take part in any physical activities like PE or gym classes."

Ms Ben Aviel admitted her son had found the experience "frightening" but said she was just grateful he was alive. "It's terrifying to find out your son has been in an accident but I'm just very relieved it was not life-threatening and he is alive. It could have been a lot worse."

Police are investigating the incident, which also resulted in a female IBC employee sustaining minor bruising. The driver of the car, a navy Honda CR-V, was a 35-year-old woman. Both she and two passengers were uninjured.

Ms Ben Aviel said: "All I have been told is there was a transmission problem with the lady's car and when she thought she was reversing, she actually went forward.

"Raanan was sitting behind the counter and the car pushed it to the wall, pinning him against it. The driver has been very concerned and has been calling to see how he is doing. I am sure it has been terrifying for her as well."