Moment men who led police on 90-minute helicopter chase across three areas tackled to ground as crowds cheer

Dramatic helicopter footage shows two men leading police on a 90-minute pursuit across three different force areas.

A motorist reported a road rage incident in Deansgate, Ellesmere Port, in which two suspects on a motorcycle had blocked the road and threatened her with a knife and smashed a rear window of her vehicle. The suspects then fled the scene on the motorcycle.

Cheshire Police’s Roads and Crime Unit, along with armed patrols, attended the scene, guided by the National Police Air Service (NPAS). A pursuit commenced and NPAS took the commentary from the air to aid the ground patrols.

The pursuit lasted for almost 90 minutes and travelled from Ellesmere Port into Merseyside, across to Chester, then on to Frodsham, crossed into North Wales, then back into Chester.

A stinger tactic was deployed in Grovensor Street, Chester, and another in Nicholas Street, near to Watergate Street, which led to the arrest of both the rider and passenger of the motorcycle after a short foot chase.

The suspects discarded a bag during the pursuit which was later recovered and found to contain class A drugs.

After both pleaded guilty to multiple offences, one man was sentenced to four years and eight months, while the other man was sentenced to three years and six months in prison.

This incident features in the latest edition of UK Crime Caught on Camera.

Watch the free-to-view programme on TV channel Shots!, Freeview channel 262, on May 11 at 8pm, or on demand now on the Shots! website here.