THREE teenage joyriders managed to escape with their lives after crashing their stolen car into an Ipswich house.Police spotted the blue mini convertible in Wherstead Road at around 4.

THREE teenage joyriders managed to escape with their lives after crashing their stolen car into an Ipswich house.

Police spotted the blue mini convertible in Wherstead Road at around 4.45pm yesterday but when they tried to pull the car over, the driver sped off.

Just yards up the road the car swerved into a driveway, smashing through the fence and hitting the porch roof before flipping over and landing upside down.

It is believed that the three were aged around 17 years old.

They had smashed into the house of shocked Donna Nunn who had seen the car overtake her as she made her way back from town with her nine-year-old daughter Camilla.

She said: "If I had been a couple of minutes earlier they would have been on top of my car and we might have been in it."

Wherstead Road was closed off to traffic as fire crews worked to cut two of the youngsters out of the car. Three ambulances were called to take them to Ipswich Hospital.

Rush hour traffic had to be diverted causing chaos for residents in neighbouring streets.

Many confused motorists headed into Wherstead Street and Rapier Street not knowing that there was a dead end and having to turn round again, adding to the congestion.

Olive Mordey, from Cowell Street, said she heard a bang and went out to investigate what had happened.

She said: "There are often fast cars going up and down here and I just thought someone had come down too fast."

Sergeant Steve Griss from the Traffic Police unit said: "The three have been taken to hospital with serious but not life threatening injuries.

"It was a convertible car and they were extremely lucky not to have been killed."

Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash and anyone with information should call Sgt Griss on 01473 613500.