ONLOOKERS were hurt after a car went into the crowd at a cruising event.

Car enthusiasts were gathered in Smeaton Close, Colchester, on Severalls Business Park late on Boxing Day when the worrying incident occurred.

Footage posted online of the meet which was being filmed on a drone shows a car driving around the bend in the road where several businesses are based.

The driver looks to be attempting a drift manoeuvre which sees the car's tyres momentarily leave the road as they negotiate the corner.

The car then disappears out of shot before bystanders are seen rushing around to try and help the people who have been seemingly been hurt in the incident.

Essex Police are investigating the circumstances of the crash where three people were hurt when a a Volkswagen Golf was in collision with a parked Vauxhall Corsa and three pedestrians.

Two women, both aged 20 and from the Halstead area, and a 20-year-old man from Clacton, were taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries.

Gerard Oxford, borough councillor for the area, said he was aware of regular meet ups at the location and said police had been called to them several times.

He said: “It is something which has been raised by the businesses and some of our residents who work on the industrial estate.

“We have called the police numerous times when we have heard of them but on this occasion we didn’t.

“The issue the police have had is providing they are not breaking any laws and the cars are fully insured and taxed are that they are normal highway roads.

“There is not much they can do if they are not doing anything which is criminal.

“It is certainly an issue for the area and I know there were similar things happening near Asda in Turner Rise.”

Mr Oxford said he had raised the issue with Chief Insp Shaun Kane, the district commander for Colchester, as the meetings had become more regular.

He passed on well wishes to the people who had been hurt.

He said: “Even when it has been going on, I have never heard of anyone being hurt before.

“I fervently hope it is nothing serious and they recover quickly.

"My thoughts are with them and I hope they are ok."

Mr Oxford urged police to look into how the crash occurred and whether it related to excessive speed or any other form of careless driving.

Rubbish had been left strewn across the site of the meet yesterday with crisp packets, discarded plastic bottles and fast food wrappers seen all around the streets as employees returned to work following the Christmas break.

“I don’t know how organises these things, but the least you think they could do is go round with a black bag and leave it tied up somewhere if people are going to bring their drive through meals,” Mr Oxford said.

“That sort of thing is not fair on the business and not the sort of image we want to portray.”

Anyone with dash cam and mobile phone footage should contact PC Robert Elvin at Stanway Roads Policing Unit on 101.

You can also submit footage online at https://saferessexroads.org/extraeyes.