A 14-YEAR-old suspected car thief was in police custody last night after a high-speed chase.

Police said two teenagers drove off in a stolen Ford Escort and sped through the deserted streets of Langley Park, Esh Village and Quebec, all near Durham City, County Durham, early yesterday.

They were caught after the driver, believed to be a 14-year-old youth from Chester-le-Street, crashed the car, leaving his friend unconscious in the passenger seat.

Police were called at 1am by an attendant at the Red Tiles service station, at the Kays Burn roundabout, on the outskirts of Langley Park, who reported that a man had filled a petrol can with fuel and walked off without paying.

A police officer in a patrol car went to the garage and saw the man run off. After a short chase he was arrested.

A black Ford Escort parked at the filling station at the same time sped off when the police car arrived and headed towards Langley Park.

The car, which had two people in it, failed to stop for a back-up police car that joined the chase.

It accelerated away at a speed estimated at more than 60mph, and drove through a set of temporary traffic lights on red in Front Street in the village.

The driver of the H-registration Escort continued through Esh Village and Quebec before crashing two miles further west in Ragpath Side.

The driver ran from the scene but was arrested soon afterwards. He had left his passenger lying unconscious in the vehicle.

Both were taken to the University Hospital at Durham, but neither was seriously injured.

They were treated for minor cuts and bruises and released into police custody.

A 14-year-old youth from Chester-le-Street, and a 19-year-old man from High Handenhold, were being questioned at Consett police station yesterday.

A 24-year-old Consett man was also arrested on suspicion of theft of petrol.

Police inquiries are under way into the theft of the Escort