POLICE have arrested a man after finding more than two dozen bags of cocaine on him ready for dealing.

A Durham Police spokesman said the force control room received reports a man was on his way to pick up a large quantity of class A drugs in a black Rover Freelander 4x4 in the early hours of this morning.

Officers from the Road Policing Unit (RPU) responded and located the suspect vehicle shortly after 2am travelling at speed from Ushaw Moor to New Brancepeth.

Then RPU followed the car and brought it to a safe stop in Brandon, at the top of Sawmills Lane.

The driver was searched and found to have more than two dozen bags of cocaine on him, ready for dealing as well as several mobile phones and £400 cash.

A search was also carried out of his home address in Esh Winning and more phones were seized, making eight in total along with 1,000 clear plastic bags similar to the ones found on him at the roadside.

Police also recovered from the house a Taser device disguised as a torch.

The 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of intent to supply class A drugs and is in custody at Durham, where he will be questioned later today.

He was also arrested for driving while unfit through drink or drugs, after failing a roadside drugs test.