The car was driven on fire into a florist's window

The MG Rover was alight as it travelled along Thornbury High Street, South Gloucestershire, on Friday morning.

Police said the car belonged to Clive Hayes, 54, who was named as a suspect in the murder of Polish woman Karolina Mikolajewska in Patchway, near Bristol.

Police said they could not confirm it was Mr Hayes but believed he had been in the car when it crashed.

Eyewitness Steve Robertson said: "I saw this car come rolling down basically on fire and the driver was shouting 'help me, help me,' but the heat was so intense from the flames you just couldn't get him out so it was a nightmare really."

It is believed an animal - probably the man's pet dog - also perished in the flames.

The murder victim, who is understood to be a careworker in her 20s, was found to have died as a result of head injuries.

Clive Hayes was being sought by police

On Monday, police launched a hunt for Mr Hayes, thought to be the owner of the silver-coloured MG Rover ZT sports car which crashed into the T & J Owen florist shop on Friday morning.

The market town, which is about seven miles north of the Patchway district of Bristol and has about 12,000 residents, was brought to a standstill.