A CAR thief left a scene of 'carnage' after the stolen vehicle he had been driving at 100mph careered into a row of seven parked cars in Burnley.

Paul Denwood's stolen Honda Civic momentarily became airborne after the high-speed crash in Manchester Road, close to the Summit traffic lights, the town's crown court was told.

And a result of the crash Denwood, 20, has been left needing to use a wheelchair, having broken two legs and suffering a smashed pelvis in the April collision.

One of the first officers on the scene described the wreckage left behind as 'carnage' and Denwood's barrister admitted it was fortunate no-one had been killed.

The court heard that Denwood had stolen the £9,000 Civic from a home in nearby Ladbrooke Grove shortly before the crash.

Denwood, of Healey Wood Road, Burnley, admitted burglary, aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving. He was jailed for 32 months and disqualified from driving for two years.

Passing sentence, Judge Robert Brown said one of the cars which Denwood's vehicle collided with looked like it had been 'in a crusher'.

Prosecutor David Macro said Patricia Saville and her partner had gone to bed when his son Michael Martin arrived home to find the Civic coming out of Ladbrooke Grove.

Denwood and accomplice Lee Hadfield, 21, had broken in and stolen two laptop computers and an i-Pod system, along with the Civic's car keys.

Police were soon alerted to the Civic as it was driven at high speed around the town.

It was later tracked to the Dunnockshaw area and was spotted driving at an estimated 100mph towards Burnley.

Denwood drove through a red light at the Summit crossroads but saw his path blocked by a silver Vauxhall car.

While trying to undertake that car he smashed into the rear of a row of seven parked cars.

Mr Macro said when a police officer arrived he heard the defendant scream and then start moaning continually.

Daniel Thomas, defending, said: "No members of the public were hurt but Mr Denwood suffered serious injuries.

"It could quite clearly have ended up in death for any random person who might have been on the street.

"But thankfully that did not occur."

Hadfield, of Piccadilly Road, Burnley, was jailed for three years for similar offences.