A HEYSHAM man has made a formal complaint against the police claiming officers used CS spray to arrest him for nothing more than driving his own car.

The local father says skin peeled from his face and his throat and lungs suffered burns after officers used the chemical spray during an arrest. The police approached the man believing the car to be stolen and the man claims he was sprayed as he protested his innocence.

"I pulled up outside my mum's house and two policemen came over and said they had reason to believe the vehicle was stolen," explained the man, who asked to remain anonymous.

"I'd bought the car four days earlier but they wouldn't listen. They grabbed me, threw me over the bonnet. My friend got out of the car to protest and they sprayed him. Then they turned round and sprayed me in the face close up. I was in total agony and could hardly breathe. They got me in a stranglehold and handcuffed me. I couldn't believe what was happening."

Following checks the police discovered the man was indeed the owner of the car. He has since made a formal complaint and spoken with a solicitor.

He added: "One minute I was coming home in my new car and the next minute I've been gassed, handcuffed and put in a cell. I was treated like some sort of dangerous criminal. They were totally out of order."

The police confirmed that they had arrested the man and that he had made a formal complaint which would be investigated.

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