A CAR thief gave people in a Worcester street a rude awakening when he ploughed into their parked vehicles.

Teme Road residents described hearing "a massive bang" as the Ford Fiesta smashed into two other cars.

They said they were amazed the driver managed to escape unhurt from the mangled car and have compared their Tolladine road to "a race track".

Police said the Ford Fiesta, which had been stolen from a Droitwich garage the previous evening, smashed into a stationary Daewoo Nexia at around 8am yesterday.

The force of the impact was so great it shunted the vehicle several yards and ripped the bumper off the back of a Rover 200 parked further up the road.

The driver ran off down Teme Road, along Dee Way and turned right on to Avon Road where he disappeared.

"The car must have been hurtling along at some speed, because the police measured the car's skid marks and they stretched 42ft," said the owner of the damaged Rover, Richard Warner.

"I've got two young children who often cross this road to the local shops. If they had been out I hate to think what could have happened."

The Daewoo Nexia owner, who asked not to be named, said the whole estate was being used like a giant race track.

"I looked out my window and saw the young man running away. I'm surprised he managed to walk out of the car," she said.

"You can hardly sleep at night with all the cars racing round. Young men just treat it like a race track.

"I'm gutted because I'd only just got my car repaired after someone hit it at Christmas," she added.

Residents are now thinking of organising a petition calling for traffic calming measures.

Pc Sean Woods, of Worcester police, is appealing for witnesses to the collision, especially a woman at the scene who gave officers the name of Mrs Sutton.

"I have been unable to speak to her and I would like her to contact me urgently," he said.

Anyone with information should contact police on 01905 723888 quoting crime reference c/596221.

Witnesses have described the driver as "fairly young" and wearing a denim jacket and a baseball cap.