POLICE officers were forced to engage in a high-speed pursuit with a car which was eventually left abandoned near a popular restaurant.

Essex Police had initially attempted to stop a vehicle in Ravensdale, in Great Clacton, at around 6.50pm on Saturday February 15.

But after trying to flag down the vehicle, the driver failed to stop, before attempting to escape the pursuing officers by speeding off.

As a result, the police officers were left with no choice but to engage in a lengthy car chase, which travelled throughout the town and towards the seafront.

Following the swift pursuit, the vehicle was soon found near the Toby Carvery, in Marine Parade West, and the driver had escaped.

The force were quickly alerted to reports suggesting two men had been spotted running away from the scene, but no arrests were made.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We attempted to stop a vehicle in Ravensdale at around 6.50pm on Saturday February 15 before it drove off at speed.

“The vehicle drove was found abandoned close to the Toby Carvery restaurant and we received reports two men ran off.

“We searched the area without success. The car has been seized and our enquiries are ongoing.”

An eyewitness, who asked not to be named, said she saw the chase pass through Old Road, not far from the Lidl and Aldi supermarkets.

At the time, she was a passenger in the front seat of a car which was being driven by her partner.

She says seeing the pursuit initially left them both shaken-up.

“I saw a speeding car coming down Old Road,” she said,

“We was down St Osyth Road about to turn right onto the roundabout.

“It was an event which scared the life out of me – other people have lives and are affected by the inappropriate behaviour from others.

“We, as a community, find that individuals ruin it for the rest of us.”