A dramatic police chase in Harrow ended with officers pursuing a drugs suspect through people's back gardens.

Police thanked members of the public for their understanding after a fence panel was flattened during the chase.

Sergeant Mark Young said officers first approached the suspect in Northolt Road, at the junction with Parkfield Road, close to HSBC, on Saturday (July 23) at around 5pm.

The man fled and when police caught up with him and detained him the first time, he punched an officer and managed to break free, said Sergeant Young.

He leaped over a garden fence as he tried to shake off police, before eventually being caught a second time in Crane Close.

'Residents showed great community spirit'

The suspect was arrested and later charged with assaulting a police officer, obstructing a drugs search and criminal damage. He was remanded in custody to appear in court on Monday, July 25.

Sergeant Young, of Roxbourne and Roxeth Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: "We were able to detain him thanks to residents letting us access their properties, so we're very grateful to them.

Police in Harrow tweeted this photo on Friday (July 22) of a knife found in Parkfield Road

"They showed great community spirit rather than being annoyed about the damage to the fence, which will be repaired."

Sergeant Young said two other men had been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a class A drug and had been bailed pending further investigations.

The arrests came after police tweeted a photo on Friday (July 22) of a knife found in Parkfield Road.

Police in Harrow recently launched a manhunt after three officers came under fire while on duty.