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Mother-of-two tells of fears of explosion after stolen car crashed into west Belfast home

The scene in Cavendish Street where a stolen Range Rover crashed into the front of a house. Photo by Mal McCann
The scene in Cavendish Street where a stolen Range Rover crashed into the front of a house. Photo by Mal McCann The scene in Cavendish Street where a stolen Range Rover crashed into the front of a house. Photo by Mal McCann

A mother-of-two has told how she feared she and her teenage daughter would be killed in an explosion after a stolen car smashed through the front room of her west Belfast home.

With fuel dripping from the crashed 4x4, which came to a stop next to a gas box, neighbours "squealed" for Roisin Murray and her 16-year-old daughter Molly to escape amid fears the vehicle would ignite.

The pair were asleep in the house at Cavendish Street at around 5am yesterday when they were woken by a "big bang".

Ms Murray (39) - a daughter of leading republican Sean 'Spike' Murray - said she looked out the window and saw a man running from the Range Rover Vogue which had mounted the pavement and crashed into her front room, destroying everything in its path.

"I thought my car had been hit. I thought somebody was in the living room. I squealed for my daughter," said the 39-year-old, whose other daughter Cliodhna (19) was not in the house at the time.

"The fella across the road was shouting to get out of the house, squealing my name because the petrol was leaking and it was near the gas box.

"I was panicking, in shock. I couldn't believe it happened. I thought the car was going to blow - I just got her (Molly)".

It emerged that the luxury vehicle - worth around £80,000 new - had been stolen along with a silver Toyota C-HR during a creeper-style burglary of a house in Holywood, Co Down.

Police said thieves entered the property at Carney Hill at around 2am and took keys to both vehicles as well as a 50in television, tablet and a PS4 games console.

The Toyota was later recovered in the Glenmachan Street area of south Belfast at around 5am.

It is believed four men were in the Range Rover when it collided with another vehicle, a Seat, parked in Cavendish Street before it crashed into Ms Murray's house.

All four escaped on foot.

Ms Murray, who works as a dispensary assistant at a chemist, was yesterday making arrangements to have her home secured until repairs can be carried out.

Insurance assessors are due out today to evaluate the damage.

"Somebody could have been killed. One of the kids could have been sitting there," she said.

"I am just shaken to be truthful. They need to be caught before they kill somebody."

Damage caused to a house in Cavendish Street after a stolen Land Rover was crashed into the property. Photo by Mal McCann
Damage caused to a house in Cavendish Street after a stolen Land Rover was crashed into the property. Photo by Mal McCann Damage caused to a house in Cavendish Street after a stolen Land Rover was crashed into the property. Photo by Mal McCann
Damage caused to a house in Cavendish Street after a stolen Land Rover was crashed into the property. Photo by Mal McCann
Damage caused to a house in Cavendish Street after a stolen Land Rover was crashed into the property. Photo by Mal McCann Damage caused to a house in Cavendish Street after a stolen Land Rover was crashed into the property. Photo by Mal McCann
Damage caused to a house in Cavendish Street after a stolen Land Rover was crashed into the property. Photo by Mal McCann
Damage caused to a house in Cavendish Street after a stolen Land Rover was crashed into the property. Photo by Mal McCann Damage caused to a house in Cavendish Street after a stolen Land Rover was crashed into the property. Photo by Mal McCann
Sean Murray surveys the damage caused to his daughters home in Cavendish Street after a stolen Landrover Discovery was crash in it Picture Mal McCann.
Sean Murray surveys the damage caused to his daughters home in Cavendish Street after a stolen Landrover Discovery was crash in it Picture Mal McCann. Sean Murray surveys the damage caused to his daughters home in Cavendish Street after a stolen Landrover Discovery was crash in it Picture Mal McCann.