JOY-RIDING youngsters left a trail of havoc - after they somehow managed to start up a road-roller.

Unfamiliar with the controls, they were unable to handle the hefty piece of equipment and abandoned the vehicle, and ran away from the scene.

But the roller continued on its path, going on an unmanned rampage that only ended when it crashed into houses.

The youngsters found the roller parked on the Birch Park industrial estate in York on Monday night.

Police received reports from concerned people who saw the youngsters starting the machine and then from others who saw it travelling on its own down nearby Huntington Road.

The powerful roller only covered about 250 yards before it came to a sudden stop.

But on the way it mounted two kerbs, crashed into a traffic island, flattened a roadsign and then hit two houses, holing one. The occupant of one of the houses, 30-year-old Lisa Wade, said: "A big crack appeared in the wall. It sounded like an earthquake. The house was shaking and the noise was horrific.

"I shouted to the kids to get downstairs and we just ran out of the house.

"I didn't know if the wall was going to come in."

Surveyors from the City of York Council later checked both houses before declaring them safe.

Police are investigating. A spokesman said: "It is extremely fortunate that nobody was seriously injured." Anyone who can help is asked to call (01904) 631321.