A video has been released of the moment a man reversed his car off a tow truck.

The footage shows the man climb onto the truck, get into the Vauxhall before trying to escape with the dangerous manoeuvre.

Contractors were about to take the vehicle to a pound when the incident happened in Hazelwood Road, Walthamstow, at 8am on August 29.

The driver is then seen reversing the vehicle out of the road.

The incident was reported to the police by NSL and a crime reference obtained, but the council has not revealed whether any further action was taken.

The car was being impounded as it was parked illegally.

Councillor Clyde Loakes, deputy leader and cabinet member for environment, said the driver had "utter disregard" for the safety of his neighbours and other road users.

He said: “When you see the video you can’t help being shocked by his actions. What he did was extremely dangerous.

“You can see kids and other members of the public milling around in the foreground of the video and thank goodness none of them were in the immediate vicinity or he could have killed someone.”