A LATE-night police pursuit ended with a shunt involving one of the patrol cars.

Three police vehicles took part in the four-mile chase, at speeds of between 30 and 80mph, of a car containing five youths in east Durham last November 16.

It ended when one of the police cars struck the rear of the Ford Fiesta, although no one was injured in the collision.

But Durham Crown Court was told that, on impact, there appeared to be swapping of seats among the youths in the car involved.

One of the passengers, 19-year-old Kelly Marie Longstaff, yesterday admitted swapping seats with driver John Beckwith, who had been at the wheel of the H-registered Ford Fiesta.

Longstaff, who the court heard cannot drive, was accused of dangerous driving, driving other than in accordance with a licence and of having no insurance.

She denied the offences and a trial was to start at the court yesterday.

But, after legal discussions, a new charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice, by swapping seats with Mr Beckwith to make it appear that she was driving, was put to Longstaff. She admitted the charge.

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, told the court that Mr Beckwith has a number of previous convictions, including dangerous driving from a previous incident which resulted in a collision with a police vehicle.

"In the light of this hearing, I think he may now be arrested in due course and interviewed about these matters.

"The outcome now is that this trial need not go ahead."

Mr Dryden said the prosecution would be happy for the remaining charges to eventually be dismissed.

Alexia Zimbler, for Longstaff, said: "To be fair to her, there were five people in this vehicle and all were interviewed by police.

"It was possible for the car to stop and for people inside to have the chance to move around within it without being seen."

Recorder Howard Crowson adjourned sentence pending preparation of probation reports.

Longstaff, of Porter Terrace, Murton, east Durham, was bailed to return for sentence in the week of June 6.