A 17-YEAR-OLD boy was arrested after police pursued a suspected stolen car last night.

Officers were made aware of a sighting of a suspected stolen Vauxhall Astra in Pennington Lane, Newton-le-Willows at 9pm on Monday (April 24).

Following what a police spokesman described as a "brief chase", the car was driven into Springfield Road, Thatto Heath and then abandoned.

Onlookers have described what they saw during the pursuit which involved a police helicopter, armed police and police dogs.

One said they saw the car being chased by a police vehicle down Roby Street, describing it as sounding "like bombs going off when they bounced over the go slow bumps".

Others described seeing the car crash in Thatto Heath Park and ending up "pretty smashed up".  

A teenager was located by police officers on Scholes Lane, Portico and later arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle.

He has been taken to a police station where he will be questioned by officers.

The car is believed to have been stolen from Hoghton Road, Sutton on Sunday (April 23).