Croston woman left to pick up £11,000 repair bill after her Audi is mangled in hit and run

A Croston woman is facing an £11,000 repair bill after her Audi was mangled in a hit and run outside her home.
The Audi A1 was struck by a white Ford Transit van at 1.25am on Thursday, May 16, but the van driver failed to stop.The Audi A1 was struck by a white Ford Transit van at 1.25am on Thursday, May 16, but the van driver failed to stop.
The Audi A1 was struck by a white Ford Transit van at 1.25am on Thursday, May 16, but the van driver failed to stop.

Francesca Harwood, 26, was awakened by police at 3am on Thursday, May 16, after a van crashed into her Audi parked in Station Road, Croston.

The 26-year-old, an admissions tutor at Runshaw College, followed officers outside where she found her cherished 18 plate Audi A1 mangled in the road.

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The blue/grey Audi had been parked on the street when it was struck from behind at around 2.25am.

The Audi A1 was struck by a white Ford Transit van at 1.25am on Thursday, May 16, but the van driver failed to stop.The Audi A1 was struck by a white Ford Transit van at 1.25am on Thursday, May 16, but the van driver failed to stop.
The Audi A1 was struck by a white Ford Transit van at 1.25am on Thursday, May 16, but the van driver failed to stop.

The force of the collision sent the £18,000 Audi crashing into a telephone pole on the pavement.

The other vehicle, a white Ford Transit, failed to stop at the scene.

"It was like a nightmare. My car was just a crumpled mess in the middle of the road", said Francesca.

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"I had to follow the officers outside where I was asked to identify my vehicle. I just couldn't believe it."

The Audi A1 was shunted from the road and into a telephone pole after a collision in the early hours of Thursday, May 16.The Audi A1 was shunted from the road and into a telephone pole after a collision in the early hours of Thursday, May 16.
The Audi A1 was shunted from the road and into a telephone pole after a collision in the early hours of Thursday, May 16.

Francesca has been told that it will cost around £11,000 to repair the damaged Audi.

But her hopes of finding the driver responsible has been emboldened after CCTV footage emerged of the crash.

The footage appears to show a white maintenance/utility vehicle speeding along Station Road seconds before the crash.

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The works van, which is believed to be a Ford Transit, can be seen breaking suddenly as it approaches the parked Audi.

The fail to stop collision happened in Station Road, Croston.The fail to stop collision happened in Station Road, Croston.
The fail to stop collision happened in Station Road, Croston.

Police investigating the incident also recovered a Ford badge in the road next to the damaged car.

Francesca is now appealing to the public to help identify the van and driver.

She said: "It's been an awful experience. I'm afraid to even leave my courtesy car on the road now. It's a worry every night.

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"The driver must have been travelling at some speed because my Audi was shunted out of the road and into a telephone pole on the pavement.

"I've been told it will cost £11,000 to repair the damage, which is just so upsetting. I can't believe they can just drive away like that.

"Unfortunately, the licence plate cannot be made out in the video, but the van is quite distinguishable and appears to be a service vehicle of some kind.

"It will have considerable damage because there were white paint marks all over my car and the van's Ford badge will be missing.

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"If there is anyone who recognises the van, or any employers who know of a damaged van in their fleet matching the description, please do the right thing and report it to police."

A police spokesman said: "We were called at 2.29am on May 16 to reports that a parked car had been found damaged on Station Road in Croston.

"It is believed the car had been shunted into a telegraph pole."

Anyone with information should call 101 quoting log number 127 of May 16.