THE driver of a stolen Land Rover led police on a dramatic 10 minute chase through Chippenham town centre.

Officers spotted the stolen Defender at about 1.30pm on Saturday (MAR 14) going into Chippenham along the A350 from Melksham. They tried to stop it near Brewers Fayre at Cepen Park but it made off at speed.

It was chased by two police cars at 40mph down Malmesbury Road, cutting down the tight Old Road and Union Road before getting onto New Road and right through the centre of town onto Bath Road. It then went out of town on Easton Road before heading back into Chippenham via Patterdown.

Police said at times the Land Rover evaded traffic by running red lights and driving over central islands, into the direction of oncoming traffic.

Helicopter assistance was given by the National Police Air Service, called out from Filton near Bristol, and another two police cars were used to find locations for stingers.

The pursuit came to an abrupt end when the Land Rover clipped a car on Rowden Hill and crashed into a wall by Tall Trees, wiping out the bus stop along the way.

The driver then got out and tried to run up the hill but police officers rugby tackled him to the ground.

The chase was caught on a dashboard video camera by a startled motorist, IT manager David Barker, who saw a Land Rover approaching rapidly along Patterdown with police in hot pursuit.

Mr Barker 46, of Pewsham, said: "I was in the traffic going towards Melksham when I heard sirens and was aware of the Land Rover coming flying up behind us.

"It crossed over the central reservation making a huge crash; I thought something had hit my car for a second, then the police cars came streaming by.

"Once we turned off we saw it coming back again, towards us. It was amazing."

Mr Barker, who regularly drives to work for BMW in Oxford, said he only bought the camera a month ago for £20 in case of an accident.

Chippenham response sergeant Louis McCoy was second in pursuit in his Astra after the tri-force traffic officer's BMW.

He said: "I am quite sure many people in Chippenham would have seen this unfold. It was a very unusual event for Chippenham, it was my first pursuit in 12 years. You just keep calm, I went into uber professional mode, it was about continually assessing the situation.

“It was chocka, there were a lot of roadworks. We were headed back into a populated area and we didn’t want any members of the public harmed. Thankfully it ended without injury to anyone.”

A 52-year-old man from Bridport, Dorset, has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, failing to stop and taking a vehicle without the owner's consent. He was been released on police bail until April pending further enquiries.

Police are appealing for any witnesses to the incident to call 101 and ask for the Local Crime Team.