Two brothers who led police on high speed car chases were sentenced yesterday to do hard work for the community.

Christopher Dowson, 19, and his brother John, 23, ignored police sirens as they raced through town centre streets at over 60mph, said Martina Connelly, prosecuting.

The madcap driving was two months apart but they shared the dock at Teesside Crown Court.

John Dowson was found hiding under a bush in school grounds after fleeing from a white Vauxhall Nova which he drove through red lights, hitting a kerb and colliding with a police van.

Christopher Dowson drove a G-registration Vauxhall Cavalier round a roundabout three times pursued by police. There was smoke coming from his tyres before the car mounted the kerb and drove across a grassy area.

He also abandoned the car and was caught after a chase in Hartlepool - at first claiming he was a back seat passenger.

Judge Michael Taylor told the brothers of Marine Drive, The Headland, Hartlepool, that they had appalling record of driving offences.

The judge added: "I think the community would be better served if you both carried on working and were not leeches on society and carried out some hard work cleaning out gardens and things like that.

"You are both a damn nuisance so far as cars are concerned and I doubt that a further disqualification will have any affect on you, but if you appear before me again I will lock you up."

They were both ordered to do a two-year Community Punishment Order and were disqualified for two years.

John Dowson pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, careless driving, excess alcohol and no insurance on December 21 and his brother admitted dangerous driving on October 20.