A car careered through a fence and crashed into a block of flats after its driver lost control.

Police were today trying to track down the young man and woman seen running from the wreckage of the blue Ford Escort following the crash on the corner of Rectory Farm Road and Busticle Lane, Sompting.

Fire officers who attended the scene at 11.50pm last night believe the car was stolen.

A spokesman for West Sussex fire brigade said: "The car went through a fence and into a building. Steam was coming from it and it was believed to be stolen."

The building wall remained intact and nobody inside the block was hurt.