IT wasn't the fastest road chase ever - but a five-mile police pursuit of a stolen forklift truck still brought chaos to city streets yesterday.

The vehicle, which reached speeds of almost 20mph, was chased by three police cars, with other patrol cars and motorcycles riding in front of it to keep the public out of its way.

In its wake was a trail of destruction in which six people, including three police officers, were injured and ten vehicles damaged.

The heavyweight four-wheeler - described as a "small mobile crane but with large forklift prongs and road wheels" - was reported stolen from a car-park in the Leeman Road area of York shortly before 7am yesterday.

Two detectives investigating another incident later spotted it by chance being driven erratically towards Skeldergate Bridge in the city centre. The chase, however sedate, was on.

It rammed a police van, injuring the driver and causing extensive damage, before continuing along Tower Street.

It had headed the wrong way down a one-way street, on to the southbound A19, bashing into various cars as it passed the city's police headquarters.

At the Fulford interchange with the A64 it circled the roundabout twice, smashed into a BMW saloon, caused another four-vehicle crash which left three members of the public injured and then headed on to the west-bound carriageway.

Eventually the police brought the chase to a halt using a stinger, which burst one of the vehicle's front tyres - but it still managed to ram another police car before coming to rest against the central barrier.

Sgt John Suchomski, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "Although this was low speed pursuit, probably not exceeding 20mph, the nature of the vehicle's design caused police serious problems in how to stop it.

"It soon became obvious the driver was not going to stop for anything."

A man was arrested by the pursuing officers.

No one was seriously injured in the chase, although two officers were treated at York District Hospital.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: "All officers involved did an excellent job under difficult circumstances in bringing this incident to a conclusion without serious injury.

"It's not the sort of vehicle you want to stand in front of with your arm in the air.