A DRIVER who made off from a filling station without paying for petrol sparked a one-hour police chase in the region yesterday.
The man, driving a black Volvo, fled the Shell service station, in Benton Park Road, Newcastle, at about 10am, heading south on the A19 dual carriageway towards County Durham.
The chase, monitored by the North East Air Support Unit helicopter, ended when the stolen Volvo collided with a Mercedes goods vehicle near Easington, east Durham. Eyewitnesses reported seeing about a dozen police cars and bikes following the car.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said the vehicle had failed to stop when approached by a marked police car.
"As with all police pursuits, it was governed by clear guidelines set down to ensure the safety of road users and police officers," said the spokesman.
A 26-year-old man was arrested and was last night helping police with inquiries. Nobody was hurt.
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