A MAN who burgled a Lancaster shop was nabbed by police but fled when stopped and embarked on a high-speed chase, a court heard.

Preston Crown Court was told that a stinger device was used on the M6 resulting in Glen Hardingham driving a Mercedes van with two wheels on the metal rim.

He lost control and collided with the central reservation before travelling back across the motorway and overturning the van down an embankment.

His passenger sustained back injuries and it took an hour to free him from the wreckage.

Hardingham, a 33-year-old father-of-two of Sherbourne Drive, Acocks Green, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to burgling a surf shop on King Street, Lancaster, dangerous driving and theft.

He was jailed for 16 months and banned from driving for three years. Mr Mark Ainsworth, prosecuting, told the court around £1,500 worth of property had been taken from the shop on May 19.

Hardingham was soon seen by police who stopped his van. He mounted the pavement and drove off at speeds up to 70 mph and drove through red traffic lights on the wrong side of the road on Caton Road before joining the south bound carriageway of the M6.

Mr Ainsworth said Hardingham who was driving the van without any lights, caused a fully loaded HGV to swerve.

Hardingham drove erratically and at Junction 29 at Leyland a stinger device was used to puncture the van tyres. Two were deflated causing the van to travel on its rims still at speed.

Just before the slip road another stinger device was used. Hardingham swerved across the motorway and overturned down an embankment.

He then fled to an industrial compound where he met a security guard and asked for a drink.

In the office he took car keys and was detained by the guard until police arrived. Miss Magdalen Case, defending said family man Hardingham worked as a builder and the offence was out of character.

Hardingham had been drinking while on medication for a leg injury at the time of the offence. He was ashamed for what had had done and the danger he put other users in.

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