TWO teenagers were being questioned by police today after a suspected stolen car careered off a road and into a house wall.

The black Ford Focus was still embedded in the property in Thornley, County Durham, today as council structural engineers assessed the state of the building.

Police said the car was driven away from outside the owner's home in nearby Wingate, in east Durham, late last night or early today.

The car appeared to have lost control and left the road, ploughing into the side of the house in St Bede Crescent, shortly after 1am.

It caused severe structural damage to the house and fractured a gas main.

The family living at the house were safely evacuated and went to stay with neighbours for the night.

On arrival at the scene fire crews made the building safe, while engineers from gas supply company Transco attended to deal with the leak.

Two 18-year-olds who ran from the car after the crash were chased by a man from the house affected and his neighbour, an off-duty police officer.

They managed to catch and detain the youths, one from Wingate and other from the neighbouring village of Wheatley Hill, and both were arrested on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking.

They were taken to Peterlee Police Station where they were detained in custody overnight and were being questioned about the incident today.

A police spokesman said that for safety reasons the car was left in situ and is expected to remain there for some time.

Durham County Council structural engineers were assessing the damage and the risk to the building if the car is removed.