Around 80 Haverfordwest residents were evacuated from their homes last night after a car crashed into a gas line.

The driver of a blue Ford Focus crashed into a fence on Maple Avenue, Merlins Bridge, at around 9.45pm on Sunday, October 11, hitting a gas utility terminal.

A police helicopter was dispatched to search the scene to search for the car's occupants.

A police spokesperson said: "With a strong smell of gas in the area, public safety became the primary concern and in excess of 20 properties on Beechlands Park were evacuated, with a fire and gas engineer from Wales & West Utilities required to attend the scene.

"Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service advised a 100m radius for evacuation and so in total approximately 50 houses were evacuated in the area, displacing around 80 people.

"A plan was formulated to transport the affected residents to Haverfordwest Leisure Centre and suitable PPE was sourced.

"Fortunately, the gas engineer was able to perform a temporary repair. This allowed all residents to go home safely, with agreement of police and fire service, at shortly after midnight.

"The occupants of the car had made off, so National Police Air Service was dispatched to the area to search, however no offenders were located."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Pembrokeshire RPU quoting reference DP-20201011-303.

This can be done online: bit.ly/DPPReportOnline, by email: contactcentre@dyfed-powys.pnn.police.uk, by phone on 101 or by text: If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908.