TWO children narrowly escaped death when a van ploughed through the front of a house.

The drama happened shortly before 7pm on Monday in a quiet Kidderminster cul-de-sac when a Ford Transit smashed down the front door, demolished a corner of the house and ploughed half-way up the stairs.

Police have launched a hunt for the driver, who ran away from the wreckage.

Craig Evans, who has rented the two-bedroom semi in Hawfinch Rise for three years, told the Shuttle/Times and News of the lucky escape of his girlfriend Sarah Fawke, 30, her nine-year-old son James and his friend, also nine, who were all unhurt. the Kidderminster home hit by a stolen van on Monday evening.

Mr Evans said: "They were hysterical. God knows what could have happened. Someone could have been killed."

Both children were playing at the top of the stairs while Ms Fawke, who is five months pregnant, was watching television in the sitting room at the back of the house.

And Mr Evans, who rushed back from Manchester when he heard the news, revealed someone rang the house - which has a telephone at the foot of the stairs - just five minutes after the impact.

The couple's dog, which was asleep by the front door, miraculously survived.

Police are hunting the driver of the yellow van, which was stolen from Kidderminster's Northum-berland Avenue on Monday.

One neighbour said he believed the man, who fled the scene, was under the influence of drugs.

Mr Evans, a 32-year-old electrician, was mystified by the drama.

"He just drove the van in a straight line - not trying to stop or anything. Have we upset anybody? We just keep ourselves to ourselves."

He added the van - which also flattened a tree in the front garden - hit the house with "some impact".

The family now face up to two months of "chaos" while they stay with friends and neighbours.

"It's a nightmare but it could have been a lot worse."

Gary Stephenson, who lives three doors away, heard the crash and said his house shook.

He ran over and found the driver still in the van.

"He got out - he didn't know where he was. He got back in and tried to start it. He was revving the engine and trying to reverse out but he couldn't move.

"Then he stopped the engine and ran off up the street."

Floor layer Mr Stephenson, 38, added: "He looked as though he was on heroin or something like that."

The bitter weather could have averted a tragedy, he said.

"Usually the kids play football over there. It's just been so cold they haven't been out."

The man seen running from the van is described as white, dark-haired and in his 20s.

Witnesses or anyone with information should contact Kidderminster Police on 01562 820888.