A Christmas Eve car chase across two counties ended when police stopped a suspected stolen car.

Several police cars and a helicopter were involved in tracking the car from Surrey to the south coast.

The male driver was arrested on suspicion of several offences including leading police on a 40-mile pursuit from Surrey to Sussex.

Police began their pursuit when the driver of a Ford Focus believed to have been stolen in Reigate, Surrey failed to stop.

The Argus: Police followed the car to Lancing where officers from Sussex Police stopped the car on the A27.

A Sussex Police car was damaged in the course of stopping the Focus at around 10.30pm on Christmas Eve.