Stolen Ford KA smashes into Fleetwood mum's garden

Joanne Darwin was relaxing in front of the TV when she heard a squeal of tires and a thunderous crash outside her home in St John’s Avenue, off Chatsworth Avenue, on Sunday night (October 9).

At around 10pm, the driver of a stolen Ford Ka mounted the pavement and smashed through her garden wall, spilling bricks and fencing across her front yard.

The young driver and a passenger escaped from the wreck and fled on foot, leaving Joanne’s garden looking like a war zone.

Video from the morning after shows the aftermath of the crash with broken bricks, shattered glass and a mangled metal gate scattered across her garden.

Joanne said it was lucky nobody was hurt. Moments earlier, her daughter Skye had left home to be picked up by her boyfriend in the same spot where the stolen car veered out of control.

“This could have killed one of us,” said Joanne. “Was watching new Pinocchio on Disney, chilling in my living room....then BANG!!!

"Just minutes before, my daughter was getting into her boyfriend’s car in front of the house right were it happened. It doesn't bear thinking about."

After surveying the damage outside her home, Joanne said she thinks the driver must have been injured.

“Considering the force they hit the wall, I think they must have been hurt. They legged it, leaving the engine revving like crazy in my front garden.

"Smoke was coming out the bonnet, so I grabbed my shoes and climbed into the car to turn the engine off because it sounded like it was going to blow up. It was a scary moment.”

Police and fire crews attended and the scene was made safe, but Joanne has been left to pick up the pieces.

She said: “The council have been to clear the unsafe wall today and yesterday my best mate and I got our gloves on and cleared all the glass and broken bits of car that was left behind.

"The council have been great. The police came on the night but we’ve heard nothing from them since.”

Police said no arrests have been made at this stage.

“We are aware of it,” said a police spokesman.

"A car has collided, causing damage to a house and the driver had fled the scene before we arrived.”