A speeding car careered across a pavement and smashed into a family’s driveway - and residents told how a passenger quickly fled and a gun was left on the scene.

The crushed silver Lexus also wrote off two parked cars on the driveway in Lodge Lane, Grays.

Witnesses on the scene, at about 11pm tonight (Sunday), told how a gun was left behind as a young woman fled from the car straight after the crash. 

Police arrived within 15 minutes and swiftly cordoned off the scene. 

One witness said: “Police were guarding something on the driveway and three people were saying it was a gun. 

“Another said there was guys with hammers banging on a neighbour’s door trying to get in.

“There’s a lot of police here and a lot of worried residents outside their homes. 

“I ran out of my home after hearing the smash, I knew it was bad and thought a car had probably flipped again.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101.