Stolen car abandoned after ploughing into tree off Court Lane at Ripley, near Sopley

POLICE are hunting offenders who abandoned a stolen car after it ploughed into a tree at Ripley, near Sopley.

The alarm was raised shortly after 6.30am last Friday, with reports a Fiat Panda had crashed off Court Lane in suspicious circumstances.

Its occupants had fled before officers arrived, taking the rear number plate with them.

Enquiries found it had been taken from an address on Abbotts Ann in Andover on 25th March and used with false plates.

The car was recovered for forensics investigation.

People are being urged to come forward if they have seen it in their area, or if they know who has been driving it.

Anyone with information should contact the Fordingbridge policing team on 101, quoting reference 44240272180.

Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously online at crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling 0800 555 111.