The Waterfront Cafe on Sheerness seafront has gone back in time with a 1940s’ facelift - thanks to the magic touch of grandma Maggie Laidlaw.

But it might never have happened if the trained chef hadn’t suffered a horror car crash which left her on crutches for a year.

Maggie, 53, from Warden Bay took over the cafe at Sheppey Leisure Centre 18 months ago and has transformed it with her Second World War paraphernalia including old photos and sheet music.

She said: “I love that time. My father served with the Royal Navy during the war. During the day I play songs from that era. Last week I was playing lots of Vera Lynn to celebrate her 100 birthday.”

Maggie qualified as a chef in 2012 under the guidance of Angela Hartnett, who had worked with Gordon Ramsay, and was soon preparing meals at the London Olympics. A stint at St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Sittingbourne, followed.

But the mum of three’s world fell apart when her cherished convertible Renault Megane was hit from behind one morning in 2013 near the Bovis estate in Minster. She recalled: “The force split the car’s rear axle and wrote it off. It also damaged two vertebrae in my spine.”

She spent the next year in agony on crutches. She admitted: “I still suffer. But life goes on. As a mum I had to carry on and I have learned to live with the pain.”

When she heard Sheppey Matters was looking for someone to rent the cafe she jumped at the chance. She admitted: “Last year was tough but trade is picking up and I’m hoping for a good summer.”

She holds tea parties and psychic afternoons, presumably when guests learn to read the tea leaves. The cafe is open 9am to 2pm Monday to Friday but closed at weekends so Maggie can spend time with her children and two grandchildren.

She said: “The cafe has a lovely vibe to it and the garden is a suntrap. It’s a short walk to the beach, sand pit and shops. What more can you ask for?”