Stolen car crashes after police chase

A stolen car crashed into four other vehicles as it was being chased by police.

Officers in a marked car and the police helicopter pursued the Volkswagen Eos, which had been reported stolen from Bristol, when it crashed just after 4pm on Friday.

Police arrested four people after the crash on the A38, between Churchill and Langford, North Somerset.

Two men, aged 17 and 19, were arrested on suspicion of burglary and two women who were in the car were immediately bailed and taken to Weston General Hospital by ambulance for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

No one else needed hospital care but several people were treated by paramedics at the scene.

The road was closed until about 9pm.

The police car was not involved in the crash but police said last night that the incident would be referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Rebecca Taylor, assistant manager at the Stag and Hounds pub, Bristol Road, was on her way back from a shopping trip at Cabot Circus when she saw police following a car.

She said: "I was just coming off the roundabout by the airport at about 3.45pm when I saw a black car with some police cars chasing after it.

"There was a helicopter and just after I saw a couple of ambulances heading in that direction.

"It has held up a lot of customers getting to the pub and everyone was talking about it."

Police spokeswoman Jenny Bigwood said: "A Volkswagen Eos involved in the crash had been reported stolen in a burglary in Bristol in the early hours and was being followed by a marked police vehicle and the force helicopter.

"The incident will be voluntarily referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission."