A CAR smashed into the front of a house in Nelson sending stones and glass crashing into a front room where a family had been sitting only minutes before.

Police are looking for three young men who ran off after the blue Toyota Corolla became embedded in the front of the terrace house in Bankhouse Road.

Householder Margaret Haselden said: "We have been very lucky.

"Until a few minutes before we had been in that room and could easily have been badly hurt. My son James and his girlfriend Leesandra had gone upstairs to watch television and I went up to the bathroom at about 10.15pm, about five minutes before the impact."

James, 20, said there was a loud bang and the house shook. When he looked outside he saw a youth possibly in his late teens running away, holding his neck. Neighbours reported seeing three youths running off.

Shards of glass were sent flying in the hallway and large stones from beneath the front window were pushed into the living room.

Margaret said: "Leesandra usually sits in the chair beneath the window and would have taken the full force of the impact. I just thank God there was no one in the room at the time.

"I have not been able to sleep all night and I will not live in that room again after this." She added: "We have always been worried that something like this would happen because drivers speed up and down this road like maniacs."

Building inspectors have examined the property and much of the front of the house will need to be rebuilt.

A police spokesman said the B-registered car had not been reported stolen and that inquiries were taking place to trace the driver and his passengers.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.