A CONVOY of stolen caravans worth up to £70,000 has been recovered after a dramatic chase on the outskirts of York.

Officers were forced to use a stinger device to burst some of the vehicles' tyres after the drivers refused to stop on the A1237 near Clifton Moor.

But the drivers scattered in different directions and officers failed to capture any of them, although all the vehicles were abandoned nearby.

Police were first alerted when a tracker device was tripped at a holiday site in East Yorkshire. They traced the convoy using a global positioning system.

The drama began during a break-in at a caravan site at Brandesburton, in East Yorkshire, on Saturday at 9pm.

Officers from the Humberside force raced to the A166 near Stamford Bridge and discovered the vehicles heading towards York.

Thieves had snatched a luxury Senator Bailey twin-axle caravan, worth around £17,500, which was being towed by a green Rover saloon.

They contacted their colleagues in North Yorkshire who took over at Grimston Bar roundabout, where the convoy turned on to the A64 and eventually the A1237 ring road.

The other vehicles were a Ford Mondeo, Ford Transit van and Toyota HiLux, which were all towing luxury caravans.

The stinger device burst one of the car's tyres, slowing it down, but all four vehicles went in different directions, including into Shipton Road and on into Eades Close.

The thieves made off on foot and officers lost them in Fylingdales Avenue. No arrests were made.

Forensic tests were today being carried out on the vehicles.

Updated: 10:55 Wednesday, July 13, 2005