An MP has warned parts of Britain are being "blighted" by boy-racers who hire luxury supercars and crash them.

Conservative Andrew Stephenson said young drivers are spending large amounts of money hiring the expensive cars for just a day at a time and then speeding through the streets in them, endangering lives.

He said his constituency of Pendle in Lancashire has suffered a spate of hit-and-runs in recent months, and is demanding car hire companies stop lending high-performance vehicles to young drivers.

Speaking in the Commons, he urged Parliament to debate the issue.

He said: "Parts of my constituency are being blighted by young men driving high performance luxury vehicles, often at dangerously high speeds.

"There has been a series of accidents, near misses and hit-and-runs in recent months.

"As most of these vehicles are hired, usually just for a day at a time, local residents and Pendle Council are now calling for action to prevent hire car companies putting high performance supercars in the hands of young drivers.

"Would you make time for a debate on this issue?"

Leader of the Commons Chris Grayling said it was "bizarre" companies would lend such expensive cars to young drivers, and said he would raise the issue with the Transport Secretary.

He said: "You make an important point. I am actually very surprised those hire companies want to do that because high performance cars tend to be high value cars and I assume they want to get them back intact afterwards.

"It is clearly a bizarre situation he has experienced. I don't understand why those businesses are taking the approach he has described and he should certainly put pressure on them locally not to do so.

"But I'll make sure his concerns are brought to the attention of the Transport Secretary as well."