A FAMILY from Winyates had a lucky escape after a stolen car was deliberately driven at high speed into their house, causing serious damage to the property.

The crash caused significant damage to the porch and brickwork, and the house has now been declared structurally unsound, meaning that the family has had to move out to temporary accommodation.

The car, an Audi A6 estate, is thought to have been stolen when the keys were taken from a house in Bromsgrove, during a burglary on the evening of Sunday, September 11.

The stolen estate was then driven to the Winyates area of the town, where it was crashed, driverless, into the terraced house on Ibstock Close at approximately 2am.

Although the family were inside the house at the time of the crash, no-one was injured.

Detective Constable Adrian Smith of Bromsgrove CID, said that this is an unusual set of circumstances.

“It doesn’t fit the profile of other car key burglaries in the area which we are currently investigating,” he said.

"It would appear the car has been stolen and then quite deliberately crashed into this property.

“We have not yet established a motive and are keeping an open mind about that.”

The Audi has been recovered from the scene and is being examined as part of the investigation.

DC Smith added: "Fortunately no-one was hurt but clearly the consequences could have been more serious.

“It is vital that anyone who knows anything about why this has happened or who was responsible comes forward and tells us.

"It is likely the stolen Audi was driven to Ibstock Close via the Bromsgrove Highway, Alders Drive and Whitehouse Lane.

“We would appeal to anyone who may have seen this vehicle and its occupants en route to contact us or if they noticed any suspicious activity either in Alhambra Road or Ibstock Close between the relevant times."

Anyone with information can call 0300 333 3000 (incident ref. 29-S-120911) or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.