Cambridge Kids Catch Villain

A 23-year-old driver who tried to escape arrest was captured after Cambridge schoolchildren helped to hunt him down.

PC Mark Lapin and a colleague were following a suspicious car at 3pm on Tuesday.

"A man got out of the car and started to run and I gave chase," he said.

"First of all a boy came up to me and said ‘he’s hiding in that bush’.

"Then I gave chase again and two youngsters came along and lent us their bikes – so I and my colleague each climbed on these kids’ mountain bikes and gave chase again."

He said police were intending to reward the youngsters – most of whom attend Manor Community College.

Kamrul Chowdhury, 14, one of the teenagers involved, added: "I’ve always been brought up to help the police if I can.

"We just tried to help."

The 23-year-old fugitive  was charged with driving without a licence, driving with no insurance, driving without an MOT certificate, failure to stop for police and driving with no seatbelt.

According to The Daily Telegraph, the arrested man used the phrase made famous by Scooby Doo: "I’d have got away but for all those kids."