A high speed car chase ended in a crash followed by a foot race through a park before police were able to catch a suspect yesterday.

The chase started when police spotted a car that had been reported as stolen from Croydon the previous day.

Police cars and the force helicopter followed the vehicle in a high speed chase until it crashed in Woodmansterne Road, just outside Carshalton, shortly before 4pm.

The driver fled into Oaks Park but officers gave chase and managed to arrest a 29-year-old man in the area.

Woodmansterne Road was closed for several hours meaning traffic had to be diverted away from the area. The man remains in police custody while investigations continue.