A driver-less police car has been found overturned in a residential area after eye-witnesses claimed it was being chased by a frantic officer.

Residents were perplexed to see a police car on its roof outside a house in Barnsley, following a road traffic collision at around 1pm today (Mon).

An eye-witness said he saw an "empty police car" travelling down the hill which connected with a lamp post and flipped over - being chased down the street by a policeman moments later.

It is believed the handbrake had snapped or was not put on properly - and other police vehicles attended the incident and later installed a cordon.

Describing the incident, a man in his 30's who lives on the street, said: "Moments after it crashed into the post - I saw a police officer frantically running after it.

"He looked really shocked. The car didn't have a driver in and no one was hurt - but it could have been much worse."

It is thought the vehicle had rolled down the gradient and collided with the curb and telegraph pole which made it flip onto its roof.