A DRAMATIC police car chase through Chippenham was caught on a dashboard video camera by a startled motorist.

IT manager David Barker, 46, of Pewsham, was driving in the town on Saturday when he saw what turned out to be a stolen Land Rover Defender approaching rapidly with police in hot pursuit.

Police saw the stolen vehicle at around 1.30pm going into Chippenham along the A350 from Melksham. 

Officers attempted to stop it but it was driven off at speed and was chased through Chippenham.

Mr Barker said: "I was in the traffic on Saturday going towards Melksham when I heard sirens and was aware of the Land Rover coming flying up behind us.

"It crossed over the central reservation making a huge crash - I thought something had hit my car for a second - then the police cars came streaming by.

"Once we turned off we saw it coming back again, towards us.

"It was amazing. It looks like they went to the Pheasant Roundabout and then headed back into Chippenham." 

Mr Barker, above, who regularly drives to work for BMW in Oxford, said he only bought the camera a month ago for £20.

"I see so many accidents on the A34/420 I thought I'd get the camera for my own protection.

"It sits behind the rear view mirror and switches on when the car moves off so you don't notice at all when it's working.

"It was only afterwards that I realised that the camera had probably caught everything that I gone on that I looked at the footage."

Police confirmed that the driver of the stolen Land Rover had attempted to evade them by driving over central islands in the road, and forcing its way through traffic, eventually coming to a stop after crashing on Rowden Hill.

A 52-year-old man from Bridport, Dorset, was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, failing to stop and taking a vehicle without the owner's consent. He was interviewed and has been released on police bail until April pending further enquiries.

Wiltshire Police are now appealing for witnesses to the chase.

Sgt Louis McCoy said: “This was a very unusual event for Chippenham and thankfully it ended without injury to anyone.

"I am quite sure many people in Chippenham would have seen this unfold.

"I would like to reassure the public that throughout the pursuit there were continual risk assessments and tactics used in order to bring the incident to a safe resolution.

"We all receive training for these events but it is rare that it gets put in to practice.

"We are appealing for witnesses, so if anyone saw the pursuit we would ask them to contact 101 and ask for Local Crime Investigator Brian Dibble."