A late night crash in Constantine caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to vehicles on a garage forecourt, but the vehicle involved had disappeared by morning.

Nick and Helen Morrison, the owners of High Cross Garage, were awoken on Sunday morning to news that someone had crashed into the Cornish hedge which runs along the front of their business, sending rocks and dirt across the front of the cars parked there.

Nick, who has since checked CCTV footage of the crash, said: "At around 2.50am on Sunday a car from the village came around the corner, skidded, and landed on the hedge.

"Hours later they returned with a van and towed the car.

"Two or three people in the village heard the car dragged through the village, we knocked on the door [of the vehicle's owner] and the first thing the lady said was 'sorry.'

"It's all on camera, you could see these guys kicking the hedge, falling about in the road, and towing the car."

The collision knocked several large chunks from the wall itself, including a six foot long boulder which hit the front of an Audi TT on the forecourt, and also caused some damage to a telegraph pole.

Four cars on the forecourt were damaged by flying rock, with Nick estimating that it will cost between £7,000 and £10,000 to put right.

Nick has criticised the police for not being "interested" in the incident, although he thanked villagers for helping to locate the car that had been involved.

He said: "If only somebody [from the police] was here on the day they might have found out what it was. It took us half a day, and with great help from the community.

"My main concern is disappointment with the local police, I'm very disappointed."

Helen has to go to Truro Police Station to report someone leaving the scene of a crime, as Nick said she cannot make a report in Falmouth, and only after that will the couple be able to make an insurance claim.

He added: "It's just the hassle we don't need, we have got four cars with quite a lot of value we have got to repair and put right. The best four cars we have got for sale."

Helen said she had been to report the incident and was told "their hands are tied, there aren't the resources."

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesperson said: "We were called just before 10am to High Cross Garage near Falmouth.

"Officers are handling it, they are looking at CCTV footage. Enquiries are ongoing at the moment."