INVESTIGATIONS are under way after four young men fled from a stolen car following a crash in Dalton.

Witnesses have revealed the moment they saw four teens running away from a stolen car after it crashed into a van outside Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School on Crooklands Brow.

The incident took place between from 5pm-6pm on Monday.

One witness watched as the men fled the scene.

“Two ran through Our Lady school up onto the bypass, then over the bridge towards The Black Dog Inn and two more ran down into Dalton," he said.

Jen Hart was travelling on a bus when she heard a ‘smash’.

She said: “I was on the bus upstairs at the front.

“I did not see how the van and black car crashed, but I looked up when I heard the smash.

“When I did I saw the lads fleeing from the scene.

“Two towards the school and two off down towards Dalton centre.

“It was four boys I would say and they were in their teens.

“I was a little shocked but felt sorry for the women driving the van.

“The man and woman in the van were really shook up.”

She said she heard police sirens when she got home and there was a police presence in the area while officers attempted to find those involved.

Wendy Maddox, a Dalton town councillor, has urged anyone with information or anyone else who may have witnessed them fleeing from the crash to contact the police.

“If anybody has information regarding the incident I would urge you to contact the police straight away”, she said.

“We don’t want this happening in Dalton or anywhere really and it is quite a rare occurrence for our area.

“I would also urge people to make sure they are vigilant and to report anything untoward again to the police.”

Police have confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that as of yesterday there had been no arrests so far.

Anyone with more information is urged to contact Cumbria Police on 101 or alternatively email 101@cumbria.police.uk.

You can also provide information by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.