A 24-YEAR-old man has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving after a car crashed into a house in Darlington during the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The Northern Echo:

The scene of the incident after a grey Vauxhall Astra crashed into a property on Parkside, in Darlington. Picture: Craig Stoddart

A grey Vauxhall Astra ploughed into a property on Parkside at around 3am.

A broken fence and tyre marks on the lawn in front of the house show that the vehicle left the road after crossing a roundabout at the junction with Railway View.

The Northern Echo:

The scene of the incident on Tuesday afternoon. Picture: Northern Echo Camera Club/Neil Sturgeon

Darlington Police were called almost immediately and a man was arrested in a nearby street, having fled the scene.

The homeowners were asleep at the time of the incident, which has caused considerable damage to the ground floor of the semi-detached property, but escaped unharmed.

They have been asked by the fire service not to re-enter their home until a structural engineer has assessed the damage.

Residents say they heard a loud bang and a number of neighbours rushed to the scene, the latest in a series of incidents on this part of Parkside.

A Durham Police spokeswoman confirmed this afternoon that a 24-year-old Darlington man had been taken into custody over the incident.

Eighteen months ago a car narrowly missed the same house when it left the road and smashed through the fence, which has since been repaired.

In the summer of 2015 a car overturned at the roundabout at the junction between Parkside and Railway View, while in the same year a parked car was hit by a vehicle.

  • Is it your house? Contact Charlotte Bowe on 01325-485073 or email charlotte.bowe@nne.co.uk