PEDESTRIANS leapt out of the way as a driver sped away from a police car and careered through the streets of Hove.

A mother and her child were among those nearly hit as the VW Golf sped through the town and through bollards onto the private road by Hove Lagoon.

The driver then tried to ram another vehicle in the way before driving out on Basin Road North and abandoning the car in Ellen Street, Portslade.

Police said the 12-minute journey was “extremely dangerous” and it was “pure luck” no one was hit.

The car sped off at the sight of a marked police van in Montgomery Street, Hove, at about 9am on Wednesday (August 24), Sussex Police said.

It was then driven north in Sackville Road and west on Coleridge Street, where the police van stopped its pursuit.

The car was then seen in Sheridan Terrace and going west in Coleridge Street crossing over Westbourne Street.

It was next seen going south in Hogarth Road, where the car almost hit a woman crossing the road with her four-year-old child, west in New Church Road and south on Berridale Avenue.

Pedestrians then saw it driving west on Wharf Road, south in Basin Road and left into the private road that leads to the Hove Deep Sea Anglers' Club.

It then drove through the bollards onto the Western Esplanade and turned around, trying to ram another vehicle before mounting the kurb and drive out on Basin Road North.

Police then found it abandoned in Ellen Street, Portslade.

Police are appealing for those who saw the car and waved police towards it to get in touch.

Detective Constable Jon Freeman, based at Brighton, said: "There are many people, who we wish to talk to, who had to take evasive action to avoid being hit or who waved at marked police vehicles to show them where vehicle had gone.

"We really appreciated their help at the time and ask that anyone who saw the vehicle to contact us.

"We're especially interested in witnesses who were in the Hove Lagoon area.

"Enquiries are ongoing to identify and locate the driver of the car and bring them to justice."

Anyone who saw what happened is asked to contact police on 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or call 101 quoting reference 354 of August 24.