MINDLESS yobs tipped over a car which rolled down back onto the road on its side.

CCTV footage shows a group of men arriving outside the Car Doctor in Haven Road, Colchester.

They lift the Renault Clio until it falls down the mound it was parked on and onto the pavement and part of the road.

The group then ran off with several cars, believed to be driven by the perpetrators, speeding past the overturned vehicle.

Owner of the garage John Simpson said he could not understand what the vandals got out of it.

He said: “It is shocking. It looks like five lads got out of four cars and tipped one of our customer’s cars over.

“Afterwards they just ran off, got back into the cars and drove off.

“They did not try and steal anything or break into the car.

“It is unbelievable really. Why would anyone do it?”

Mr Simpson said he had heard of more vandalism at nearby business which was believed to have been done by youngsters, but he believes this was older men who could drive away.

He said: “They would have to be at least 17 to be driving cars away from here afterwards.

“I have been here for ten years and have had minor things like attempted break-ins but nothing as serious as damaging a car like this.”

Neighbouring firm Universal Tyre and Autocentre was able to catch the incident on CCTV, but Mr Simpson said no police officers had viewed it.

He said: “We are telling them to come and see it but nobody has turned up.”

The car belonged to Liz Smith who left it at the garage so an electrical fault could be fixed.

She was woken by officers in the middle of the night, hours after the incident just after 12.30am on Thursday.

She said: “They came round in the middle of night and asked me if they knew where my car was.

“At that point I thought it was at the garage in Haven Road.

“All they can tell me at the moment is the car is probably a write off and it is with them in Chelmsford.

“I feel for the garage owners because nobody wants to feel like their property, or the property you are looking after is not safe.

“At the moment I am relying on the kindness of friends and family for help getting around.

“It just seems like people deciding to wreck something for the sake of it.”

A spokesman for Essex Police confirmed they were investigating the incident.

He said: “A blue Renault Clio has been found on its side with no occupants inside.

“Officers attended and located the owners of the vehicle. Investigations are ongoing.”