A DRIVER ran off from the scene of a "high-speed'' collision after crashing a car into a wall.

The Ford Fiesta was left severely damaged after the crash in Chew Moor Lane, Westhoughton, at the junction with Abbeylea Drive, in the early hours of this morning. 

Emergency services were called to the scene at around 12.10am but when they arrived the driver had already left the area.

Firefighters and the police both attended and needed to close the road to clear the debris and wait for the vehicle to be recovered.

Crew manager Carl Greaves, from Bolton Central Fire Station, said he did not believe the car had been reported stolen and he would be surprised if the driver was uninjured.

He added: "They have hit a wall driving at speed. The car was very very severely damaged.

"The police were informed and it was left with them.

"He has obviously been travelling at speed when he hit the wall. If he managed to get out of it uninjured I'd be surprised but he wasn't there when I got there."

The front wheel of the car had been ripped off and there was more damage to the structure of the car.

Firefighters left the scene after around an hour but police were still in attendance. 

A wall column was completely destroyed in the crash and debris was still scattered in the road.

Sand also had to be put in the road because of spilt oil and fuel.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "We were called at 12.08am to reports that a car had gone into a wall in Chew Moor Lane. 

"It looks like the driver has made off and there was debris in the road as well.

"The car was a red Ford Fiesta. The vehicle was blocking the road and had to be recovered."