Driverless tanker careers along road

The vehicle rolled along the Whitewell Road

Three men have been arrested after a fuel tanker containing several tonnes of oil careered driverless down a main Belfast road.

The vehicle rolled along the Whitewell Road and across the busy Shore Road in north Belfast, where it came to a halt.

A gang had attempted to hijack the lorry as the driver was making a delivery of fuel to a house at about 0750 GMT on Saturday.

The driver made off after being pulled from the cab and threatened.

The handbrake was then released - sending the vehicle down the road and spilling fuel oil from a trailing hose.

Three men, two in their 20s and the other in his 30s, were arrested in connection with hijacking, attempted robbery, five counts of criminal damage, common assault and assaulting police.

Three cars were damaged in the incident. The tanker struck one of them as it was travelling down the road.

There were no reports of any injuries.