A DRIVER who evaded officers in a high-speed nine-mile car chase was caught by a police car as he tried to flee on foot.

The 30-year-old man, from Swindon, raced away from police who had asked him to pull over while travelling along the A4361 near Winterbourne Bassett at around 10am yesterday morning.

As the pursuit continued towards Wroughton the police helicopter was deployed to track his movements, following him through Old Town, the town centre and Parks, before the chase came to an abrupt end 13 minutes later as the man turned down a dead end in Burghley Close, Walcot.

As he tried to make off across Buckhurst Field the police car which had been tailing him hit his silver Toyota Celica and he was knocked to the ground.

A paramedic on board the helicopter, which doubles as Wiltshire Air Ambulance, assessed the driver and called for an ambulance to take him to Great Western Hospital with a minor leg injury.

Eyewitness Sue Stephens, 52, of Walcot, said: “I just heard the screaming of the brakes and the sirens. When I looked out police were everywhere – it was like a swarm of bees.

“I’ve never seen anything like it – I was only saying to the local constable the other day how quiet Walcot was.”

Patsy Moloney, who was in the nearby community centre at the time, said: “I just came out to see him being handcuffed.

“There were about four police cars and the helicopter. He jumped out of the car and the police car knocked him over from what I can gather.

“The paramedics were treating him for about half-an-hour and he was moaning about his leg.”

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said the force’s Professional Standards department had been made aware of the incident and an investigation was being carried out.

She said: “A 30-year-old man from Swindon was taken to Great Western Hospital with a leg injury.

“The pursuit started at 10.04am on the A4361 towards Winterbourne Bassett and went through Wroughton, along Marlborough Road, Queen’s Drive, Cavendish Square and then Burghley Close.

“The driver was detained at 10.17am. The chase was at excess speed.

“We are looking into how he came to be injured. The investigation is ongoing but there was a collision between the police car and the offending vehicle and he sustained a leg injury.

“Our Professional Standards department have been made aware. I don’t believe the Independent Police Complaints Commission have been notified.

“Public safety was paramount in our tactical decisions throughout the pursuit. As soon as the helicopter had him in sight our officers were able to stand down before he decamped.”

The driver has been summonsed for driving offences to appear at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on March 26.