A man stands beside a Toyota Colorado jeep on the roundabout at the junction of the Ravenhill Road & Ormeau Road in Belfast. Picture by Chris Harrison

A man stands beside a Toyota Colorado jeep on the roundabout at the junction of the Ravenhill Road & Ormeau Road in Belfast. Picture by Chris Harrison

A man stands beside a Toyota Colorado jeep on the roundabout at the junction of the Ravenhill Road & Ormeau Road in Belfast. Picture by Chris Harrison

A man stands beside a Toyota Colorado jeep on the roundabout at the junction of the Ravenhill Road & Ormeau Road in Belfast. Picture by Chris Harrison

A man beside his 4x4 on the roundabout at the junction of the Ravenhill and Ormeau Roads

A man beside his 4x4 on the roundabout at the junction of the Ravenhill and Ormeau Roads

A man beside his 4x4 on the roundabout at the junction of the Ravenhill and Ormeau Roads

Sunday drivers in a leafy south Belfast suburb were surprised to find an off-road vehicle in the middle of a landscaped roundabout.

Bemused motorists also witnessed its well-dressed driver apparently dancing on the car's bonnet.

The dapper motorist, known only as 'Johnny', said he had been driving up the Ormeau Road early on Sunday morning when he crashed into the roundabout.

Passers-by were astonished to see the car in the middle of the greenery on the roundabout at the junction of the Ormeau and Ravenhill Roads, where it remained until yesterday afternoon.

While metal bars on the front of the Toyota prevented some damage, the front wheel on the driver's side jutted out at a right angle.

Dressed in a three-piece suit and sunglasses, 'Johnny' seemed to enjoy the attention as he waited for a tow truck to rescue his vehicle.

"It was early this morning and I got distracted," he said.

"I was looking for a parking place and one found me.

"It's not the most appropriate one.

"I have to get a few more photographs taken before the recovery people come."

The Co Down man was not injured and described the crash as a "victimless crime".

"I broke a stone, I'll fix that," he added.

Ciara Robinson was at her parents' house close to the roundabout when she spotted the unusual sight. "He was dancing on the bonnet of the car," she said.

"People were tooting their horns and waving at him.

"When I asked him what happened he said: 'Me (flaps arms) flying! I went bunny hop and hit it!'

"He told me he was driving up the Ormeau Road early this morning, didn't realise there was a roundabout, and the next thing he knew he was sitting on top of it. He didn't see it until he landed on it."

The roundabout was redeveloped a number of years ago and now includes stone bollards and small hedges, as well as other landscaping.

Before that, several cars had ended up in the middle, but it is believed that Johnny may be the first to do so since the new design.

Ciara added: "He asked if the roundabout was always like this, and when I told him it used to be flat, he asked if he was the only man to do this.

"When I saw him he was standing on the bollards in the middle of the roundabout trying to get reception for his mobile, while he called and asked for help.

"He asked me to take his picture.

"He said: 'I have to get a photograph on my phone because all my friends aren't going to believe me'."

Police are understood to have attended the scene of the incident.

Belfast Telegraph