TWO men from Accrington have been arrested after a police helicopter pursuit from Greater Manchester through Rossendale.

The helicopter chased a car along the A56 around 12.40am on Thursday.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: “Our officers assisted Greater Manchester Police and the National Police Air Service (NPAS) in stopping a black VW Passat, suspected to be stolen, being driven from Bury towards Haslingden.

“The vehicle was followed by NPAS into Accrington before being abandoned on Barnfield Street.

“Two men ran from the vehicle, and went into hiding nearby, but were quickly located by the helicopter and our police dogs.

“Two locked safes were recovered from the vehicle.

“A 19-year-old and a 26-year-old, both from Accrington, were arrested and are currently in custody in Greater Manchester.”

Police dog Zorro helped to catch the pair.

The offenders ran from the car in Accrington with Zorro in hot pursuit.

He found the driver and he then caught the passenger after a pursuit through the terraced streets, locating him in a garden.

A Lancashire Police Dogs Unit spokesman said: "The second job of the night was a burglary in Trawden where the offender had stolen a car which he later crashed before running into nearby fields.

"Zorro was called away from his paperwork to search for another criminal.

"After tracking for several miles across fields and through a river the offender (from West Yorkshire) popped out on the edge of the police cordon and was detained by armed response officers from Burnley and Padiham Police and Colne and West Craven Police"