A FURIOUS mum has hit out at a taxi driver who left her 15-year-old son and his friend stranded after the car crashed.

Senga Moulton, 36, of Round Acre, Samlesbury, said she is disgusted that her son Jeff was left in Preston New Road, Blackburn, at 3.30am after a night out with his friend.

She said the Jeff and Trevor Smith, 19, of Nab's Head Lane, Samlesbury, had been for a night out in the town and had just come out of a kebab shop when they caught a cab in Darwen Street from Elite Private Hire and headed towards Samlesbury.

Jeff said the car spun twice and hit a wall in Preston New Road, sending food flying everywhere inside.

According to Jeff, the driver then got out and had a look at the car before telling the two friends they would have to make their own way home.

The friends say he then drove off and left them in the middle of nowhere and they had to walk to the County Hotel, where they rang Elite but were told the firm could not send another car to pick them up. The pair then rang another firm, B and B Private Hire, whose driver picked up the bits of car which had been left on the road and contacted the police.

Mrs Moulton took Jeff and Trevor to Blackburn Royal Infirmary with whiplash injuries the following day.

She said: "Jeff is taking his GCSE exams this week and he's having trouble with his sinuses as well as neck injuries.

"They were quite shaken and covered in garlic sauce and tomato ketchup.

"You don't leave two injured people by the side of the road at 3.30am in the morning.

"The driver didn't even ask them if they were all right. We've not been given any apology and they didn't even bother to send another car for them. I think it's disgusting."

Mohammed Elys, manager at Elite Private Hire, of Lower Hollin Bank Street, Blackburn. said: "The driver, Wajid Mahmood, is an owner driver who has been working for us for about a year.

"He says the two lads asked him to leave them after the accident and they said they would make their own way home.

"As far as I know they were left on their own will."

Inspector Peter Zsigmond said: "The incident has been reported and it is being investigated."