Four flee as car goes into gardens

A car smashed through three gardens after it careered off a Black Country road, causing thousands of pounds damage.

But four people inside the car fled after an amazing escape from injury.

Residents were woken by a "terrific bang" at around 4am as the Ford Focus ploughed into a wall, knocked down two brick pillars and hit a parked car in Brook Street, Woodsetton, Stourbridge.

It came to a halt just inches from a house, which was damaged by debris.

Neighbours say it is the latest in a long line of accidents in the street which has seen numerous walls, cars and telegraph poles damaged in recent years.

Howard and Margaret Hampton, aged 71 and 66, said it was the second time their garden wall had been destroyed since January.

Mr Hampton said: "We heard a big bang and we thought it was thunder. I couldn't believe it when I saw what had happened.

"We only had the wall rebuilt after the last time in January and now we've got to do it again.

"People use this street as a rat run. We see them speeding down the road."

Witnesses said that four people in the car, who were not injured, fled from the scene moments after the crash.