A teenager was arrested and a second is being invested in connection with drug offences, after a dramatic police chase at a popular park.

Officers were called to Lexden Park in Colchester last night following reports of anti-social behaviour.

A group were detained for drug searches and one an eighteen-year-old man was handcuff but escaped officers and jumped into the lake but was rescued by police.

A nineteen-year-old man was arrested in connection with drug offences and also attempted to escape officers but left the bungling suspected left behind his driving licence.

A spokesman for Colchester Policing Team said: “An eighteen-year-old man from Colchester was found in possession of Class A drugs, but before he could be arrested, he ran off from police. He was caught after a foot chase through the park, arrested and handcuffed.

“Whilst officers were dealing with the rest of the group, the man tried to escape again. Despite being handcuffed behind his back, he leapt over a fence and jumped into the pitch-black lake, before trying to swim to the other side.

“It took around a minute before officers could locate him in the darkness. He was near the middle of the lake and struggling to stay afloat. Officers had to enter the water to bring the man back to safety.

“Such thoughtless actions not only endanger the person concerned but they also mean officers then have to put themselves at risk.

“Another member of the group, a nineteen-year-old man, was found in possession of Class B drugs. However, rather than helping the man in the lake, he decided to take advantage of the situation and flee whilst officers were occupied. Unfortunately for him, his attempt at escape was no more successful than the first man's, since he left his driving licence behind with all his details on.

“The eighteen-year-old man remains under investigation for drug offences and escaping from lawful custody.

“The nineteen-year-old has now been arrested and remains in custody for drug offences and also escaping lawful custody.”