THESE dramatic pictures show the wreckage after a car crashed on to the forecourt of a luxury car dealership causing thousands of poundsworth of damage.

And today police are still hunting the driver who ran off after the smash at about 2am on Saturday morning.

The new BMW X5 flipped on to its roof and ploughed into five new Mercedes parked on the forecourt of the dealership in Blackburn Road. It is understood the driver, who fled the scene, lost control as he reached a bend in the road at the junction with Kay Street. A 39-year-old passenger in the BMW was trapped in the wreckage and had to be freed by firefighters. Three of the Mercedes vehicles were said to be wrecked, and the other two badly damaged.

Paul Widall, who works as a mechanic nearby, took these pictures as he arrived for work shortly after 7am Saturday. The 34-year-old said: “When I arrived for work I saw the carnage. I work in the motor trade so I have seen worse than that, but it was pretty bad as they were brand new.

There was a caretaker who was trying to clear some of the debris.

“He had been there since 3am when the police called him out.”

Police confirmed that drugs and cash were discovered inside the BMW.

The trapped passenger was arrested for possession of drugs and has been bailed pending further inquiries. Mercedes-Benz dealership declined to comment.

A police spokesman said: “The driver of the BMW abandoned the car and ran off.

“The passenger of the BMW a man was arrested at the scene having suffered minor injuries. A 39- year-old man has been arrested for possession of drugs and has been bailed pending further inquiries.”

The driver has not yet been arrested and inquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information should phone police on 0161 856 7201 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.