Reckless driver of a stolen Land Rover Discovery sped wrong way down busy road before running off over fields towards Lutterworth

Police are hunting the reckless driver of a stolen Land Rover Discovery who sped the wrong way down a busy road before running off over fields towards Lutterworth.

The driver led shocked police on a “dangerous” late-night cross-border chase in north Warwickshire and south Leicestershire on New Year’s Eve.

And they managed to escape pursuing officers despite having two tyres blown out by a special Stinger device and being chased by police dogs as well.

The drama blew up after Warwickshire Police spotted the white Land Rover Discovery being driven north out of Rugby on the A426 Leicester Road late on New Year’s Eve.

“The vehicle was a confirmed clone displaying false plates from a Range Rover Evoque,” said the force’s Operational Patrol Unit.

“The vehicle failed to stop and we pursued the vehicle on the A426 past Churchover towards the A5.

“Local policing officers from Rugby successfully deployed a Stinger device on the vehicle deflating both offside tyres.”

But amazingly having just two good tyres didn’t stop the suspect as they sped on to the A5 heading north - and hared the “wrong way down a dual carriageway”.

“It was too dangerous for us to follow so we shadowed the vehicle on the correct side of the road,” said police.

“The driver decamped from the vehicle and made off over fields towards Lutterworth.

“Despite the best efforts of our police dogs the driver managed to escape into the night.”

Officers said they have now recovered the Land Rover Discovery, which had been stolen in Northamptonshire four days before Christmas Day, at the centre of the astonishing drama.

“It was confirmed as stolen from Northamptonshire on 21st December,” said police.

The high-value vehicle is now being exhaustively examined and scrutinised by police forensic experts as officers step up the hunt for the driver.