Footage of a stolen drift car has appeared on YouTube.

The highly customised Japspeed Subaru Impreza was stolen from Santa Pod drag race track and taken for a joyride around the M25 ring road, where it was filmed by a mobile phone.

The car, which cost around £50,000 and took two years to build, was filmed just 45 minutes after it was stolen from Santa Pod.

It has the look of a street racer from a 'Fast And The Furious' movie, but with no number plates and stripped of most of its interior, it's not road legal in the UK.

One of its competition drivers includes Shane Lynch of Boyzone fame, who appealed for its safe return immediately after it was stolen. A reward was offered.

The car was found abandoned on the evening that the footage was shot, although it had been stripped of many of its expensive custom parts. Despite that, Japspeed reports on its website that the car is "relatively unscathed".

The Impreza was found at Bucklebury Close, Holyport, by Thames Valley Police. Four men have been arrested in connection with the theft, and some of the stripped parts have been recovered.

Of the theft from Santa Pod, Japspeed's Paul McCallum said: "For those wondering, the car WAS disabled, however those involved managed to start it while it was left unattended.

"We've been to hundreds of shows and this has never happened before - people usually have respect. It is a shame as it means we will have to be extra vigilant with leaving the car on show for the 99.9 percent of punters who just want to enjoy the car, but we hope something like this never happens to anyone."

An investigation into the theft is ongoing, but with the car safely returned it will be drifting again shortly.