A high profile Liberal Democrat out campaigning had a shock when she spotted a runaway car.

Kath Pinnock was calling at homes on Westcliffe Road in Cleckheaton with husband Andrew when they were alerted to a runaway Peugeot 407 estate which then smashed into a parked Vauxhall Corsa. No-one was in either vehicle.

Baroness Pinnock, who represents Cleckheaton on Kirklees Council and is a life peer for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords, said: “It’s quite a steep road and if the car had rolled all the way to the bottom it could have gone onto Westgate and possibly caused a big accident.”

The Pinnocks knocked on several doors in a bid to trace the runaway car’s owner, but were unable to find them.

Police were called and the road closed until the damaged vehicles could be recovered.