Burglars fleeing police in a getaway car reached up to 100 miles an hour before crashing.

The car overturned, trapping the driver who broke his arm while a passenger suffered minor injuries.

He fled from the wreckage but was arrested 25 minutes later.

Police investigating the incident believe there may have been another passenger who escaped on foot.

The chase started in Seaham, County Durham, at 1.20am today after a routine police patrol saw the thieves breaking into the Zodiac Video shop, which is also an off-licence, in Marlborough Street.

The raiders made off in a red Ford Escort LX and headed towards Sunderland.

A Durham Police spokesman said the car went through a red light in Stockton Road and travelled at up to 100mph on its ten minute journey. He said that on the outskirts of Ryhope it turned onto the road to Tunstall but a few seconds after turning into Burdon Lane it crashed and overturned.

The driver, a 27-year-old man from Ryhope, and the passenger, a 39-year-old from the Hendon area of Sunderland, were arrested on suspicion of burglary.

The driver was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital and the passenger to Hartlepool's University Hospital.

The North-East Police Helicopter was called out to search the area.

The police spokesman said: "Obviously traffic is much lighter in the early hours of the morning but even so to travel at such speed is clearly reckless.

"Thankfully the pursuit ended within ten minutes and those involved without any serious injuries either to themselves, the officers pursuing them or innocent members of the public.

"There are procedures for police to follow in situations like this in terms of keeping a safe distance and not endangering anyone and these were followed.''

The two men were not expected to be released from hospital until late last night (wed) or early tomorrow. Cigarettes and alcohol that was taken from the shop were recovered.