A POLICE officer narrowly missed being run over and his vehicle was rammed three times by a stolen Land Rover during a motorway chase in East Lancashire, it was revealed today.

Police have described the incident as "dangerous and totally reckless" and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Officers were notified of the theft of the dark blue Land Rover from Arnside in Cumbria.

They later spotted it travelling southbound on the M6 motorway near Samlesbury and followed it on to the M61 towards its junction with the M65.

The Land Rover stopped on the hard shoulder just before junction 9 of the M61 in Walton-le-Dale and the police estate car parked up in front of the vehicle.

But when one of the officers walked down the hard shoulder towards the Land Rover he was forced to dive clear as it deliberately tried to mow him down.

Sgt Brian Roberts of the Motorway Police said the officer was very lucky only to receive only slight injuries.

The vehicle was then driven past the police car and reversed into the front of it, smashing the headlights, before the culprits made off towards Blackburn along the M65.

Within minutes, the Land Rover pulled over near junction 2 of the M65 and smashed into the police car again. It then performed a U-turn before driving the wrong way down the carriageway and ramming the police car for a third time.

DC Ian Gregson, leading the investigation at Preston Motorway Unit, said: "The Land Rover literally climbed on to the police car when it was hit for the last time. It was totally reckless and dangerous.

"These people are a menace to other road users and they would quite clearly have no qualms about running someone off the road. The officers were very brave to come back after such a dangerous attack."

The driver sped off towards Blackburn and left the motorway at junction 3 in Withnell.

DC Gregson said the police officers were unable to continue the chase as they had no headlights as a result of the smash.

The vehicle was later found abandoned on the motorway slip road at junction three at 10.45pm on Friday night. Police investigators are currently studying film footage from the incident and said they have several lines of inquiry.

Anyone with information about the Land Rover, registration R527 LDD, should contact the Motorway Unit on 017720 410465 or 01772 614444 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.