Duo detained in Mansfield woods following van chase by police

By John Smith
Published 21st Aug 2023, 12:38 BST
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Two suspects were found hiding in the woods following a pursuit in which a van swerved all over the road to try and evade police.

Officers were first alerted to the vehicle in question when intelligence highlighted it as having potential links to a series of outstanding offences, a Nottinghamshire Police spokesman said.

Having spotted the suspect van in Forest Lane, Papplewick, at around 12.20pm on Friday, August 18, police then followed it for a short while around the Papplewick area.

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After subsequently witnessing the driver make a dangerous overtake, officers switched on their blue lights, but didn’t receive the desired response, as the van ignored the order to pull over and instead pulled away.

Police pursued the van that swerved dangerously through busy traffic. Photo: Nottinghamshire PolicePolice pursued the van that swerved dangerously through busy traffic. Photo: Nottinghamshire Police
Police pursued the van that swerved dangerously through busy traffic. Photo: Nottinghamshire Police

A pursuit then began in which the van repeatedly broke the speed limit and carried out dangerous overtaking manoeuvres around blind bends, as it headed along the A617 towards Rainworth.

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After avoiding a police ‘stinger’, the vehicle headed towards the A6117, where it then drove into some fields off Lindhurst Lane, where the occupants got out and fled on foot into nearby Harlow Woods, police said.

Following a search of the woods by operational support and response officers, two suspects were located within the space of a few minutes.

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Two men, both aged 21, were arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and failing to stop.

One of the suspects was additionally arrested for driving without a licence and possession of cannabis.

Speaking about the incident, PC Daniel Whitham, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “The level of driving demonstrated in this incident was appalling and put other road users, as well as those who were in the suspect vehicle, at very real danger of harm.

“Thankfully this didn’t result in a collision or anybody sustaining any injuries but that was mainly down to luck, and the superior driving skills and awareness shown by the officers in pursuit who managed to follow behind at a safe distance.

“This incident provided a good example of our policing teams working together to get a positive result, with two suspects being located and detained within minutes of the pursuit coming to an end.”