A MAN went on a rampage around Bury in a Ford Fiesta - crashing into the court, a tram and a farm - before dumping the car in a river and setting it on fire.

The white car, which was also said to have a passenger, was smashed into the barriers of Bury Magistrates Court before the driver crashed it into a fence at a farm in Buller Street, Bury.

He then crashed into the Metrolink station gates in Bury, before reversing and parking on the crossing between Bury and Radcliffe, causing delays as trams were forced to terminate at Whitefield.

Metrolink later said the crossing's barriers had been destroyed in "an act of vandalism".

The Bury Times understands the Fiesta also bounced off another car and hit a tram.

The car was then dumped and set on fire in the River Roch, near Bury FC's ground in Gigg Lane, at about 3.30pm.

The car was removed from the river at about 5.30pm.

Witness Shahru Khan said: "We got here and the car was already completely burnt out. It was was almost unrecognisable. There were pieces of it down the bank and in the river but they were all cleared up after the car was towed away."

Police said they are investigating whether the driver was drunk and are treating the fire as arson.

Firefighters spent about an hour putting out the fire.

There have not yet been any arrests.

A fire service spokesman said: "The car was really badly burnt out when we got there. 

"We left the car in the water and the police have arranged to have it towed away."

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "We received a call at 2.44pm from a member of the public to report that this car had crashed into the gates at Bury Magistrates Court.

"We are treating this as arson and are investigating the possibility of the driver being intoxicated."