The picture shows the destruction in April 1978 caused by a careless driver to other vehicles as police searched for the culprit.

Mr Brian Quinn was asleep at his home in Durham Road, Wilpshire, Blackburn, when two loud crashes were heard. The unknown driver had skidded across Mr Quinn's lawn, hit a parked red Ford Cortina, smashed the metal door of a garage, damaging Mrs Quinn's one month old Mini car, and destroyed brickwork before making off.

Mr Quinn said: "The amount of damage caused is really unbelievable. I am surprised the driver was able to make a get-away.

"His car must have been severely damaged. I am just thankful that he didn't end up in our lounge, a matter of a few yards away.

"Luckily our two children were safely asleep downstairs."

The day after the incident, Mrs Pauline Quinn was trying to get the lights to work on her fairly new car so she could go to work that night.

She said: "Someone must know something about this car. Perhaps the driver has hidden it in a garage or it was stolen."

The incident took place at 1.30am and police were investigating the matter.The Quinns had only lived in Durham Street for six months before the accident.