A STOLEN car being driven at high speed just missed pedestrians as it crashed into a row of parked vehicles.

Witnesses said two women had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit by the blue Citroen Xsara Picasso in a busy Burnley shopping area.

Police said the people-carrier had been stolen from the driveway of a house in the nearby Kiddrow Lane just moments earlier while its owner was washing it.

It is thought the opportunist thief struck when the car was left briefly unattended.

Chris Nield, of Sunderland Street, said he saw the Picasso crash outside the Bailey & Garrett Chemist, in Rosegrove Lane, at around 1pm on Saturday.

He said it careered off the road and smashed into a white Ford Focus, which shunted forward hitting a black Renault Clio.

“I was on my way to the shops and I heard a car coming fast from Lowerhouse Lane”, he said.

“The driver was going that fast past Londis that before he got to the chemist he lost control and headed towards the pavement.

“It smashed into a parked white car, which then shunted forward and hit another car in front.

“Two ladies who were on the pavement had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit.

“The cars were really badly damaged, two of them were definite write-offs, but luckily nobody was seriously hurt from what I could tell.”

The Renault Clio belongs to Kimberley Chester, co-owner of Divas Hair Salon in Rosegrove Lane.

Her business partner Nicola Whitehead said: “We all saw it.

"There were two lads in the car that spun off and smashed into the car behind my business partner’s Clio.

“All the cars looked like write-offs. They were badly damaged and there was petrol leaking all over the road.

“My business partner had to go home because she was so shook up by what happened.”

Police, firefighters and paramedics all attended the scene of the crash.

The road was closed to traffic for several hours while officers carried out an investigation and cleared debris from the carriageway.

Police said a 29-year-old man from Burnley, believed to be the driver of the Picasso, suffered minor injuries and was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital by ambulance.

The front seat passenger, a 24-year-old man from Burnley, was treated by paramedics at the scene.

Half an hour before the crash a silver Ford Mondeo parked nearby had its rear lights damaged. Police said they believed the two incidents could be linked.

Officers are set to question a 29-year-old man as part of their investigations.

Anyone with information should call police on 0845 125 3545 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.