A 23-year-old man was arrested in Melksham last night for driving dangerously. 

The police started a pursuit of the driver in the Ford Focus after it was called in at 8:40pm. 

He was said to have been travelling on the wrong side of the road at the Hampton Park and was speeding before he crashed the car on the canal bridge. 

He was arrested on suspicion of theft of a vehicle, failing to stop for officers and dangerous driving. 

They took him to the Royal United Hospital in Bath before he was taken to custody in Melksham. 

The car is believed to be involved in a number of thefts in Melksham and Calne. 

PC Derek Buswell said: "The driving displayed by the driver during this short pursuit not only fell below the standard you would expect of a competent and considerate driver, but it was downright dangerous. Had there been any pedestrians on the bridge, which there often is, they would have been seriously injured.  It is extremely fortunate that nobody was seriously injured as a result of the driver's actions."

The man remains in custody in Melksham for futher questioning.