THREE police Volvo cars were damaged as officers chased a stolen caravan that smashed through concrete bollards and a village green today.

Police, who had been told about two caravan thefts from the Easingwold area, acted when they spotted a Land Rover pulling a Hobby caravan at about 3am today.

Officers began pursuing the vehicles through Acomb, and during a dramatic chase the caravan crashed into bollards, a tree and two road signs.

Inspector Steve Burns, of North Yorkshire Police, said the Land Rover pulled the caravan through Sowerby Road and smashed into the bollards, drove over the green and left at the other end, destroying more bollards.

Officers then followed the vehicles out of Grantham Drive and the wrong way up Front Street, back up Grantham Drive, Sowerby Road and Beaconsfield Street.

Officers used tactical containment and pursuit methods, moving in front of the vehicles and behind them, and employed a Stinger device to burst tyres to force the Land Rover and caravan to slow down.

Inspector Burns said all three police vehicles were so badly damaged they had to be towed away.

They could have been struck by both the Land Rover and the caravan.

Resident Amanda Palmer said she woke up to loud banging. "There was lots of banging and crashing," she said. "Luckily, the police were really respectful and only used flashing lights."

Pat Holmes, chair of Lindsey Residents' Association, said: "I looked out of the window and saw this 4x4 dragging a caravan all over the green.

"It must have been going a fair lick to go through the concrete bollards. I was amazed.

"The caravan was making a kind of hollow rattling sound but it was really loud.

"These things happen round here now and again, then it all goes quiet again."

A man has been arrested and is helping the police with their inquiries.

Updated: 11:57 Saturday, October 30, 2004