THIS is the moment a reckless late-night joyride ended in festive chaos after a driver smashed into a 40ft Christmas tree in Kazakhstan.
The dramatic crash flattened the Christmas tree in the middle of the town’s deserted main square in Sarayagash.
Cops said the incident unfolded at around 3am, when a battered Lada was seen speeding into the central square.
CCTV footage shows the driver tearing around the open space in tight circles, apparently showing off and pushing the ageing car to its limits.
Witnesses said the vehicle completed several fast loops around the square, tyres screeching as it narrowly missed street furniture and festive decorations.
But the joyride quickly spiralled out of control.
The driver suddenly lost control of the car, which shot forward and slammed straight into the town’s main Christmas tree.
The illuminated towering tree collapsed instantly, crashing to the ground and leaving decorations strewn across the square.
Instead of stopping to assess the damage, the driver immediately sped away, leaving the wrecked tree lying flat on the pavement.
Police said in a statement: “At around 3 a.m., the Saryagash District Police Department received a report that an unknown driver had crashed into the main Christmas tree installed in the central square and then fled the scene.
“Officers carefully studied the recordings from the area using CCTV cameras,” the statement continued.
“As a result, the identity of the offender was established.”
Cops later confirmed the culprit was behind the wheel of a VAZ-2105 Lada.
“It turned out that the driver of a VAZ-2105 [Lada] car, while trying to drive around the tree, lost control and hit it.”
The driver was later tracked down by officers, and his car was impounded.
He was also issued with a fine for dangerous driving.
In an unusual twist, police ordered the man to repair the damage he had caused.
“The young driver repaired the damaged tree and promised not to commit similar offences in the future.”
The Christmas tree has since been restored, bringing festive cheer back to the square.
It comes as police hunt a group of Christmas-costumed activists accused of stealing thousands of pounds worth of groceries in a Robin Hood-style festive raid.
The masked group was caught on CCTV filling shopping trolleys with food before walking out of a grocery store without paying.
The theft was later claimed by Montreal-based activist group Robins of the Alleys, who said the crime was carried out to help struggling families over the festive period.
The group said around £1,600 worth of food was taken during the operation.
They claimed the stolen groceries were redistributed beneath a public Christmas tree and delivered to community food banks.
Posting on social media, the activists insisted their actions were driven by necessity rather than greed.
“A handful of corporations are holding our basic needs hostage,” they wrote.
“They continue to stifle the population, siphoning off as much money as possible, simply because they can. For us, that’s theft, and they are the real criminals.”
The group described the Monday night’s raid as a “great food drive” and a political call to action.
Montreal police confirmed they are investigating the incident, which occurred at around 9.15pm at a major grocery store in the Plateau Mont-Royal neighbourhood, adding that no arrests have yet been made.