Race-hate riddle of 4x4 man's rampage

A crazed motorist ran down three people during a 20-minute rampage through a town centre.

Pedestrians dived out of the way and other drivers and cyclists took desperate evasive action in scenes that witnesses described as "straight out of a movie".

The gold-coloured Range Rover drove along a footpath, mounted a pavement and even sped through a pedestrian shopping area, causing terrified shoppers to leap for safety.

An 18-year-old male cyclist was seriously injured on the footpath and two pedestrians were hit on a pavement outside a pub.

All three victims were Asian and the driver was white and police are investigating whether the rampage in Halifax, West Yorkshire, could have been racially motivated.

Shopworker Richard Wainhouse, 53, who narrowly escaped injury, said of the driver: "He was very angry, gesticulating and shouting. He seemed a complete nutter."

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The vehicle was later found abandoned and police put out an urgent appeal to trace a man they named as Ben Mawdsley, 18. Last night, an

18-year-old man was being questioned on suspicion of attempted murder after going to a police station in Halifax.

The drama began at around 4.40pm on Monday when the J-reg Range Rover left the road and drove along a footpath.

A pedestrian managed to leap out of the way, but the four-wheel drive car ploughed into the teenage cyclist. The youth, who has not been named, was in a serious condition-in Calderdale Royal Infirmary-yesterday.

The driver continued down a busy shopping street and 300 yards further on he mounted a pavement and hit two men, aged 22 and 30, outside the Junction pub. They escaped with minor injuries.

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The Range Rover carried on at speed towards the town centre, leaving a trail of destruction. It collided with another car, then forced a group of men to jump for safety.

The driver then headed to the Woolshops pedestrian area, which was full of shoppers and workers heading home. Many came within inches of serious injury.

By this time, the Range Rover was being chased by a silver BMW and a group of up to 15 men on foot.

The driver was blasting his horn continually at pedestrians, who included many schoolchildren.

Finally, after hitting a bollard, the driver roared away. Police launched a major hunt for the car, which was found near the M62 at 8.20pm.

One witness said: "It was like something from a movie, with this car just all over the road."

A member of staff at a One Stop shop yards from where the cyclist was hit said: "It looked pretty horrific when the ambulance got here. From what I could see, the kid wasn't in a very good state."