A HELICOPTER located a man who was on the run following a crash involving an off-road motorcycle.

At around 3.47pm on June 11, Dorset Police received a report an off- road motorcycle had been involved in a traffic collision with another vehicle in Canford Heath Road.

The rider of the motorcycle failed to remain at the scene of the incident and subsequently made off on foot in the direction of Waterloo, failing to stop for police.

Several officers from the Poole neighbourhood policing team and officers from Poole responded by attending the area of Waterloo and Waterloo Road to conduct a search for the man.

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: “The National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopter was deployed at an early stage as they have the ability to search large areas quickly (twenty times faster than other options and requiring fewer ground resources), which can mean the difference between locating a suspect or not.

“The crew provided an aerial overview of the situation, which minimises risk to members of the public and police officers.

“Within several minutes of NPAS arriving, utilising the skills of the pilots and sophisticated onboard technology, the suspect was located in a woodland. Officers on foot contained the area and closed in on the location, directed by NPAS crew.”

A man was arrested on suspicion of multiple offences, and the motorcycle was seized under Section 165 of the Road Traffic Act- police have said it is likely to be destroyed.

A Dorset Police spokesperson added: “We appreciate how dangerous off-road motorcycles are and how reckless the riders can be, with no regard for the safety of others or themselves. It is a huge community concern, and we hope this shows how committed we are to tackling the issue.”