A DRIVER is believed to have absconded after a suspected stolen car crashed into a building during the early hours of this morning in Brierley Hill.

The incident happened on the Dudley Road in the Harts Hill area, just before 3am on April 16.

The car collided into an empty two-storey building close to Brierley Hill Fire Station.

A West Midlands Fire Service spokesman said: "We had a call at 2:58am from West Midlands Police saying a car had been in collision with a wall and the driver is believed to have absconded.

"Five firefighters and one fire engine attended the scene."

A West Midlands Fire Service spokesman confirmed that the collision caused the building to have 'extensive' structural damage to its front.

Firefighters made the vehicle safe and requested a structural engineer from Dudley Council to attend.

The council's rapid response team arrived to board up the building.