A suspect led officers on a car chase around Hitchin and Letchworth last night, and escaped on foot after crashing – but he left his driving licence behind.

The man, driving a dark-coloured Vauxhall, led officers on a mazy pursuit from Hitchin to Letchworth and back again before crashing into a tree at Oughtonhead Common on the western edge of Hitchin.

He then made off across fields and into woodland on foot, and evaded capture despite the deployment of the police dog unit during a two-mile chase.

The pursuit started at about 1am, when the driver failed to stop for police in Hitchin’s Oughton Head Lane.

He led officers on a drive into Willian, towards Letchworth Gate, before turning back towards Hitchin – where the chase took them around numerous streets near Oughtonhead Common before officers followed the suspect into the fields.

A force spokesman confirmed this morning that the driver was not found during the on-foot search, and that enquiries were being made.

Road policing officers tweeted that the suspect had left his driving licence behind, adding “see you soon”.