Police are hunting the driver of a car that ploughed into a tree at the Esplanade, Palmerston North, and took out bollards.

The green stationwagon was found smashed into the tree about 8am yesterday near the Esplanade rose gardens.

Acting Sergeant Brendon Gerrish said he believed the car had been travelling at excessive speed before the crash.

The driver appears to have lost control. The front of the car was badly damaged.

There were people in the area at the time who witnessed two men running from the car after the crash, he said.

The men were yet to be found.

‘‘The airbags were deployed so there would be some injuries received through the force of those,’’ he said.
The two men left on foot from The Esplanade through Ongley Park towards Park Rd.

One man was described as a light-skinned Maori whose hair had short sides with a long ponytail. He was in his late teens or early 20s.

The other man was Pakeha with short hair and dark clothing.

Any information to Palmerston North police on 351 3600.

- © Fairfax NZ News