Sunderland taxi firm confirms its car appears in footage as man filmed himself being driven on its bonnet

Northumbria Police has confirmed it has launched an investigation after footage appeared online which seems to show a man on the front of a car as it travels along Silksworth Row towards Hylton Road before heading through Deptford in the city.

Station Taxis has confirmed the vehicle involved is one of its fleet and has contacted Sunderland City Council and its licensing team.

It comes as police slammed the footage, which emerged on social media over the weekend and appears to be shot during the early hours of Saturday, as “incredibly dangerous.”Officers believed they have identified the man who appears in the film, which runs over two minutes long.

In the clip, he says while on the front of the car: “I’m on a taxi.

“I feel a bit funny.”

The man then says he can see signs for Newcastle, Gateshead, and the A1231 Sunderland Highway before asking the driver to take him to an address in Southwick.

“I’ve got to go home, my dinner’s ready.” he says

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “We are aware of a video circulating on social media which shows a man riding on the bonnet of a moving vehicle in Sunderland in the early hours of Saturday, November 10.

“Police have identified the individuals involved and an investigation is ongoing.

“We would like to stress that this kind of behaviour is incredibly dangerous and could have potentially fatal consequences.”

A spokeswoman for the Southwick-based Station Taxis said: “I can confirm that the taxi in the video is a Station Taxi.

“However we can not make comment at the moment because of the ongoing police investigation.

“We have also made taxi licensing aware of this incident.”

Cabinet member for environment and transport, Councillor Amy Wilson, said: “The taxi operator concerned has contacted us about this well-publicised incident.

“We will work closely with our community safety partners in respect of the matter and consider appropriate action.”

RAC road safety spokesman Pete Williams said: “This is incredibly dangerous and irresponsible of both parties – the driver of the taxi and the man who took his protest onto the bonnet of the vehicle.

“It is remarkable and perhaps frightening it went on as long as it did, and it’s sad that it needed a police officer to resolve it.”