A Mile Cross mystery has emerged after the apparent abandonment of a new car on the edge of a park pathway.

A Volkswagen Polo has been spotted by bemused homeowners and traders in the Mile Cross area of the city this week.

The VW has been ditched on the side of a public footpath from Burnett Road near Sloughbottom Park in the Sweet Briar Road Industrial Estate.

Chrissie Rumsby, Labour county councillor for the Mile Cross ward, said: "Hopefully no one sets fire to it.

"The longer it's there, the more mischief that will be created.

"Anything like that has to be reported to police before anything can be done.

"Half the problem is that people post about it on Facebook or community pages but not to the relevant authorities to act upon it."

Norwich Evening News: Councillor Chrissie Rumsby Councillor Chrissie Rumsby (Image: Labour Party)

It is understood the car has not been directly reported to police at this stage.

And it follows a spate of boy racers whizzing up and down the Sweet Briar Road Industrial Estate and across the Mile Cross ward.

Mrs Rumsby has been reporting the issue to the county council and various other organisations such as the Phoenix Centre to see if more services can be provided for youths causing issues.

She added: "Boy racers have always gone around in gangs. That in itself is not unusual.

"But it has taken a turn for the worse recently.

"There is not enough for youngsters to do and I am trying to get more youth services into Mile Cross as soon as possible."

Joyce Hanton, who works at Cooks Blinds and Shutters in the Sweet Briar Road Industrial Estate, said: "The car has been abandoned and it is really badly damaged. It's a 22 plate Volkswagen Polo.

"There were boy racers coming up and down the estate doing doughnuts on Wednesday night.

"It bizarrely appears as if someone has lost a brand-new car. You would think it would be written off with the damage now." 

The worker said that the car remained in the same location as of Friday morning.