THIS is the devastation left after a car ploughed into the side of a garage during an early morning drama which led to a police helicopter search.

Officers were called after a Volkswagen Golf careered through a hedge and across a garden, before smashing into the building.

Bricks and rubble were sent flying from the crash site at Main Street, North Duffield, at 1.30am yesterday morning.

Two or three people from the car were seen running from the scene before it burst into flames.

North Yorkshire Police sent out a search team, including dog handlers, to track down the occupants of the car, while firefighters from Selby put out the blaze.

A police helicopter from the Humberside area was launched and a thermal imaging camera scoured the area.

Just over an hour later, a man and woman were spotted hiding under a tree and arrested by officers.

Rob Ellwood, 52, who lives at Manor Farm with his wife, Vya, was awoken by the screeching of brakes and a huge bang as the car crashed into the outbuilding.

Vya said: "I heard someone saying, 'Get out. Get out'.

"The neighbour across the road came banging on the door to tell me a car had landed on our outbuilding.

"While that was happening, the car set alight. But whoever was in there didn't stay after the accident - they just ran off."

Rob, who has lived at the farm all his life, added: "I was really worried the fire was going to spread. The car was an inferno, and there is an oil central heating tank and petrol tins in the outbuilding.

"The fire seemed to burn for quite a long while, and the firefighters had to work quite hard to get it out and stop it spreading."

He went on: "I think the car was probably driven at a very high speed.

"It looks like it went out of control some distance from our house and turned sideways.

"It must have been going like a bat out of hell. It is a miracle they managed to get out of the car in one piece.

"If they had not broadsided into the outbuilding, the consequences could have been fatal."

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "The road was closed in both directions while we dealt with the incident and we had reports of two men and a woman running away up the A163 towards Selby.

"We had the help of the police helicopter from the Humberside area and that led to two people being arrested."

Simon Watanangura, of Selby Fire Station, said: "The car went through a hedge and garden and into the side of the detached garage.

"We used two hose reels jets and a thermo imaging camera to put out the fire and we were there for about two hours."

A structural expert from Selby Council was called to the scene at 3.30am and recommended leaving the car in the garage until an assessment could be carried out. A council spokesman said: "We have now carried out an assessment and there is no immediate risk so we simply advised the householder on what action to take."

A man and a woman from the Goole area were questioned at York police station and were released on bail yesterday.

Updated: 08:46 Friday, May 26, 2006