ALMOST £3,000 of heroin has been recovered by police after a "high speed chase" along the M6 ended in a crash.

A Nelson man was arrested following the incident on the northbound carriageway of the motorway.

Officers said they were about to check a Nissan 300 ZX registered car parked at the Burton service station when the car sped off on to the M6 just before midnight.

They said the car reached speeds of 120mph, later

overtaking three lorries on the hard shoulder near the Shap interchange.

A further 30 miles on, the car drove off the motorway at the Rosehill interchange near Carlisle but collided with the roundabout at the top of the slip road.

Police said a man got out of the car and ran off. A woman was arrested, but released later without charge.

A Cumbria police spokesman said the vehicle was searched and a quantity of heroin was found with a street value of almost £3,000 after the incident, on Thursday.

Yesterday Imran Ayub, 25, of Bradley Road East, Nelson appeared before Carlisle magistrates charged with possession of a quantity of heroin with intent to supply to another, dangerous driving and driving while disqualified and no insurance.

He also faces a further offence that he wilfully obstructed a police officer in the execution of his duty.

Magistrates adjourned the case until January 17 and Ayub was remanded to Durham prison.