A woman crashed her boyfriend's car into three Carlisle houses causing about £25,000 worth of damage, a court heard.

Carlie Hancock, 28, lost control of the high powered Audi on a bend at Greystone Road, striking three homes which had been flooded several months before.

Hancock, who was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court, had previously admitted charges of failing to report an accident, driving without insurance and aggravated vehicle taking.

Prosecutor Emma Kehoe said Hancock had earlier been out for the evening with her partner and friends.

Following a fallout he had returned home and gone to bed.

She later also went back home and then decided to drive to Tesco.

She took the white Audi A4 despite not having permission but crashed it on the way back.

"As a result of her losing control she, in effect, crashed into the wall and door of three houses along the street where the accident took place," said Miss Kehoe.

Residents reported hearing a loud bang and the prosecutor explained: "There are a number of statements from the occupiers of these houses which illustrate varying degrees of distress, disgust and outrage.

"It is purely and simply the fact that she was not used to driving such a high powered motor vehicle and lost control of it.

"Miss Hancock, her friend and her passenger got out of the vehicle and made off from the scene. They were pursued by a member of the public who tried to persuade them to come back but that didn't happen."

Hancock was later arrested and admitted what had happened, saying she had "panicked".

The estimated cost of the damage to the homes and the Audi was said to be about £25,000.

Hancock, a woman of previous good character, was represented by lawyer Paul Tweddle.

"She would, through me, like to apologise to all the homeowners of Greystone Road for what she has done," he said.

Hancock, the mother of a young daughter, had described what had happened as "one of the most stupid things she has done".

"It will be something that will haunt her for a period of time," said Mr Tweddle.

"This is a moment of stupidity of colossal proportions that she bitterly regrets."

Judge Barbara Forrester noted that Hancock accepted her behaviour that night was wrong.

But the judge said: "Some of those houses were not occupied at the time on the ground floor; they were in the area that had been flooded.

"For the three householders to go through this on top of their other problems must have been devastating to them. Fortunately there was only damage and nobody was injured."

Hancock, of Botcherby Avenue, Carlisle, had an eight-week prison sentence suspended for a year.

She must complete 200 hours' unpaid work and serve a 12-month driving ban.