A MAN has been tasered and arrested after threatening police with a sledge hammer in Gornal, following a dramatic police chase.

A police officer was also injured in the incident, which began when police were called to reports of a man breaking into cars.

Officers were called to Autumn Drive in Lower Gornal just before 10.30am this morning (July 8), where they gave chase to a man who was driving a suspected stolen van.

During the chase a police car was rammed by the van before the van then fled off, leading to police mounting a search for the driver.

Residents reported seeing a police helicopter flying low over the Gornal area this morning, as the search for the van driver was underway.

A second car, a stolen BMW, then rammed another police car during the search for a van, before which a man got out the car and approached officers with a sledge hammer, police have said.

A police spokeswoman said: "The 43-year-old was subsequently tasered and arrested at the scene on suspicion of theft of motor vehicle and remains in police custody.

"One police officer suffered minor injuries."

Anyone with information should contact police via 101 or Live Chat and quote log number 766 of 08/07.