TWO identikit crashes within 24 hours in which the drivers fled the scene have left residents counting the cost of the damage.
In what the police have called an "extremely unusual coincidence", the first collision happened in the early hours of last Saturday in Kenley Lane, and the second less than 24 hours later just yards away in Northwood Avenue, Purley.
Nishay Patel, who lives in Kenley Lane said he was woken by the sound of glass shattering at about 5.30am on Saturday.
Police later rang his doorbell to say a car had smashed into his fence.
He said: "It happened only about ten metres from Kenley Station, and there was this sound of loads of glass breaking.
"Soon after the police turned up to say a car had crashed into our fence and landed on its roof. Then I went out to take the photos.
"The police said the car was driving from the station and skimmed another car, then over-corrected itself and went careering into our fence.
"Then officers came knocking to try and find out as much as possible because the driver had hot-footed it from the scene.
"This is a serious incident, in my opinion. If it was a weekday there would be definitely have been casualties, given that Kenley is a commuter town and a number of local residents take the 6am train."
Just 20 hours later, an almost identical incident occurred only a mile away in Northwood Avenue.
Jenny Gould, 59, who lives in the street, told the Advertiser she arrived home on Sunday to find her car smashed up for the third time since she moved there.
"The driver completely took my car out," she said. "There's loads of damage to it.
"Exactly the same thing happened a year ago, and then again when I had a hire car – it's because people drive too fast down this road.
"Anyway, my son Adam was at home when it happened, and he ran out when he heard the smash.
"He saw my car in the middle of the road and another car upside down.
"Then he saw the driver who was out of his car and staggering around, talking on the phone.
"He rushed inside and called the police and the ambulance but when he went outside, the driver had gone.
"Adam went to go and look for him, and the police looked around with their dogs but couldn't find him."
A police spokesman confirmed they had been called to the two incidents where both drivers had disappeared.
The spokesman added: "We are treating the incidents as unconnected, but it is an extremely rare coincidence.
"Investigations are ongoing and neither driver has been identified yet."
