A ‘STOLEN’ car being pursued by police at up to 80mph crashed into a pedestrian crossing on a busy shopping street.

Moments earlier the Volkswagen Golf had careered into a Saab travelling the opposite way, which was being driven by a nursery boss and his wife.

The vehicle continued to tear through Rishton, but lost control again at the pelican crossing, narrowly missing stunned pedestrians in High Street at 2pm yesterday.

Witnesses said the driver and his female passenger got out of the crumpled wreckage, before running off in different directions.

The owner of a furniture store carried out a citizen’s arrest on a 24-year-old woman from Blackpool, while a 34-year-old man from Accrington was arrested after climbing down from the roof of the Fitness 4 U gym in Henry Street.

They were last night being quizzed by police.

Officers said the car was believed to have been stolen from Carnforth on July 1.

It was first spotted on Dunkenhalgh Way near junction seven of the M65 for Accrington, Rishton and Clayton-le-Moors, police said.

The car initially stopped for officers, before heading off at speed, sparking the pursuit, police said.

It headed up towards Rishton from the motorway junction, but soon lost control.

The vehicle crashed into Angus MacLean’s Saab in High Street.

Mr MacLean, who owns Toppers Day Nursery in Henry Street, was on his way to Accrington for a coffee with his wife Annalene, 63.

He said: "We had just turned out of Henry Street when I saw the car come over the bridge.

"All four wheels were airborne and I knew that something was going to go wrong.

"I tried to get out of the way but it hit me and then sped off.

“It was so frightening.

"The car was coming so fast. We could have easily have died in the crash. We are very lucky to be alive.”

The couple were checked over at hospital, but found to be okay.

The Golf then crashed further up High Street.

Corinne Hartley, owner of E. Haworths furniture, High Street, said: "We heard a loud bang and then there was a flash of silver and a car had crashed right outside the shop.

"Then a policeman was shouting at me to stop a woman so I started running after her.

"But I couldn’t keep up as I was wearing my sandals and I shouted at this guy to grab her.

"He managed to stop her. I brought her back to my shop.

“She was in shock so I made her sit down and got her a glass of water.”

The woman was taken to hospital where she was found to have minor injuries. Police said she was then arrested.

Across the road in Henry Street a suspect had climbed the roof, police said.

Witness David Farrar, 44, said: “Police were shouting at him to come down and he finally climbed down the lamppost."

On the crash itself, he said: "We have never seen anything like this before.

“Thankfully it was quiet otherwise someone could have been killed.

"If it had been a little later there would have been all the kids from the school."

High Street was closed in both directions for five hours afterwards.

Passers-by locals lined the street to watch as police carried out an investigation of the scene.

Sergeant Peter Sculpher, from the road policing unit, said: “I would appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward and contact us.

"I am also keen to speak to anyone who saw the car prior to the collision.

“Fortunately nobody was seriously injured with a number of people receiving treatment for minor injuries at the scene.

"There has also been some damage to two other cars.

“The road had to be closed for some considerable time as Accident Investigators needed to carry out their work and a beacon for a Zebra crossing had to be made safe by United Utilities.”

Anyone with any information is asked to call Blackburn police on 01254 51212.