An early morning crash stirred volunteer firefighters from their beds in the Bay of Plenty this morning.

The Matata Volunteer Fire Brigade was called to a crash on State Highway 2, west of Matata, near Hauone Road.

'At the scene, we found a ute pretty smashed up in the ditch and household items and rubbish all over the highway,” says a post on the brigade's Facebook page.

'There was no driver and it was reported to us they had already done a runner.

'The car engine proved tricky to stop at first as the car looked like it had been hot-wired.

'We quickly swept the debris from the road then reopened the highway for the morning traffic.”

Anyone with information about the crash, is urged to contact their nearest police station.

Alternatively, information can be left anonymously via the Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 line or non-urgent information can be phoned in to the police's 105 number.