A MAN has been charged following a police car chase in which a stolen van crashed into a wall and a suspect jumped into a lake.

Officers received a report that a silver van was stolen from the St Helens area on Easter Sunday afternoon at around 3pm.

Officers spotted the van on Westfield Street and a pursuit took place, which continued through Rainhill and Whiston before the van hit a wall in the Whiston area, near Bishop Drive and Halsnead Avenue.

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After the pursuit, a man got out of the vehicle and fled into a lake before being detained by officers.

St Helens Star: The van after it had crashed into the wall Pic: RAINHILL ROCKSThe van after it had crashed into the wall Pic: RAINHILL ROCKS

Residents reported seeing the van being chased at speed through roads in Eccleston - including Dunriding Lane and Burrows Lane, and then on to Elton Head Road.

Thomas Michael Dean, of no fixed address, has been charged with robbery; dangerous driving; driving while disqualified and refusing to provide a sample for a drugs test

Dean, 33, was remanded in custody to appear at Wirral Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 19 April, where he was further remanded into custody to appear at court at a later date.