A PICKUP truck crashed through front walls and smashed cars after the driver lost control in a Southampton street.

Thousands of pounds of damage was done to the homes by the Mitsubishi Warrior, which came to rest on its side in a garden in Shirley. The front walls of three houses in Foundry Lane were destroyed, as the 57- plate pickup crashed through them at 5.15am.

Rubble was sent flying and four cars parked at the side of the road were wrecked as they were shunted into one another by the pickup.

Deep grooves around 40 metres long were also left in the road surface.

Neighbours said they were woken by a loud bang and the sound of scraping metal as the car came to a halt on its side.

Steve Eccles, 17, who lives a few doors from where the accident took place, said: "I heard a loud bang in the early hours but living so close to the docks I didn't really think very much of it.

"I took a quick look out of my bedroom window and I saw the pickup truck on its side, lodged in a neighbour's front garden.

"It seems the truck had hit a kerb further down the street, rolled onto its side and smashed into the front walls.

"There were four cars parked along that part of the road and they are all write-offs. There was debris from the cars and walls everywhere.

"A few neighbours came rushing out of their houses to see what had happened.

Steve added: "Luckily all the houses along Foundry Lane have front gardens with walls in front.

"It could have been a whole lot worse if the car had smashed into the walls of a house."

No-one was injured in the accident and police cordoned off the road. Tow trucks were then called to remove the damaged cars.

Insp Russ Kavulok said: "There were no arrests made and there was no evidence to suggest the car was speeding, but we are investigating the incident."