A store detective was carried 20m along a car’s bonnet as he tried to stop a suspected shoplifter.

He escaped serious injury but was very shaken in the incident which took place on Thursday, September 19, at 10.45am.

The man tried to stop a woman he believed had been stealing from Tesco in Fishbourne Road, Chichester, when she got into a blue Volkswagen Passat that had a man in the driving seat.

The store detective stood in front of the vehicle but the man drove at him and knocked him onto the bonnet.

PC John Blight said: "The store detective was very lucky not to have suffered a serious injury but has been left badly shaken by the incident.

"I would like to speak to anyone who saw the saloon being driven in the Tesco car park or in the minutes afterwards.

“The car park would have been very busy at the time and many people may have seen at least part of the incident but may not realise how important their information could be."

A Volkswagen was stopped in Hampshire and a 47-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman, both from Poole in Dorset, were arrested.

The man was questioned on suspicion of dangerous driving and shoplifting and the woman on suspicion of shoplifting.

Both were released on bail until October 5 while officers carry out further inquiries.

Call Sussex Police on 101.