A MOTORIST led police on a 50-mile high-speed pursuit in a stolen van after refusing to stop when spotted driving “suspiciously”, officers said.

Pollice eventually halted the Ford Transit, using a “stinger” strip on the M6.

The pursuit went through Blackburn, along Haslingden Old Road to Rising Bridge, before moving along the A56 up to the M65 and then north along the M61 and M6.

Police said the vehicle was driven at speeds of between 70mph and 90mph in an ‘erratic manner’ throughout the incident.

A spokesman for the police said: “This was a lengthy pursuit which was professionally resolved by all concerned, with the minimum of risk.”

He said that the van was initially spotted in “suspicious circumstances” in Haslingden Old Road, Blackburn, at around 1.40am yesterday.

The van had been reported stolen earlier in the night at a home in Peel Mount.

Police said the vehicle failed to stop and a pursuit began. When the chase reached the M6 the van was driven even more erratically, officers said.

The van went as far north as junction 33 at Hampson Green before it returned south back towards Preston.

At that stage a motorway patrol was able to get ahead of the vehicle and following attempts to distract the driver on approach to junction 32 at Broughton the vehicle was stopped using a stinger device, which punctures tyres.

• A 20-year-old man from the Merseyside area has been arrested in connection with the incident.