A CAR being chased by police crashed through a garden wall and into a bungalow today.

Occupants of the house on the corner of Buxton Road and Southlands Road, Weymouth, were awakened when the silver Ford Fiesta ploughed into their home.

The vehicle, which police believe was stolen, had been pursued along Buxton Road at 6am after being spotted by officers.

They were alerted by a member of the public who saw three youths acting suspiciously in the car in Wyke Square.

Acting Insp Geoff Hicks, who was involved in the pursuit, said: "We were following the car when it tried to turn into Southlands Road, but the driver failed to negotiate the bend and the car collided with the wall of the house."

Three people in the car fled the scene but were tracked by police within 30 minutes.

The shocked occupants of the bungalow, who did not want to be named, said they were both sleeping soundly at the time of the crash.

One said: "We were sleeping when there was a massive crash and the house shuddered. We obviously wondered the hell was happening.

"I got dressed and came out and saw the car embedded in the wall. It was a bit of a rude awakening to say the least. There is a crack in the house - I just hope it isn't serious."

A stretch of breeze block wall on the corner was demolished by the impact, with plaster and cladding ripped from the house itself.

Neighbour Marcus Ace, 62, was sleeping in the front room of his house.

He said: "I heard a loud noise and thought it was a recycling truck or a skip lorry arriving.

"It certainly sounded like a large vehicle. You hear so many things on this road but this was a real shock."

The car was towed away by officers for forensic examination.

Three people were being questioned by police this morning.