An Audi crashed before its passengers led police on a foot chase through Witham and escaped. 

Shortly after 12.30pm yesterday, suspicious behaviour from a driver on the A12 alerted officers to a blue Audi S5 car.

Before a pursuit began, the Audi crashed with a car and two men then fled from the vehicle in Longfields.

A 19-year-old man from Chelmsford was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle and possession with intent to supply drugs.

He has since been released pending further investigation. The other man remains outstanding.

While officers were searching for the men who had fled from the car, they came across a VW Polo on Allectus Way with two men and a teenager inside.

After a search, officers found the occupants of the Polo did not appear to be related to the original search and two 18-year-old men and a 17-year-old boy were arrested for possession with intent to supply drugs and possession of an offensive weapon.

Anyone with further information about the passengers of the blue Audi, or dashcam footage of the incident, is asked to contact Braintree police station on 101, quoting incident 428 of March 22.