UPDATE: Police chase drama ends as car slams into level crossing

Police were initially called to an address in Firsdown Close, in High Salvington, Worthing, on this afternoon where two men had been seen jumping over a garden fence and into a car.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “The car sped off with three men in it and was sighted by police on the A259, before it turned on to the Ford Road towards Arundel.

“As it stopped after the collision around 2.25pm, three men decamped, one on to the railway tracks resulting in trains being stopped in the area. All three men were captured within ten minutes and arrested.”

The spokesman added: “As the car came to halt on the other side of the crossing, it collided with a number of other vehicles, including a police car. A woman and a police officer sustained minor injuries in the collision.”

The road is closed in both directions and is causing delays across Ford and towards Arundel.

The incident has also affected railway services between Shoreham, Littlehampton, Bognor and Chichester.

A spokesman for railway operators Southern, said: “Owing to emergency services dealing with an incident at Ford all service between Brighton/Arundel/Littlehampton and Barnham are subject to short notice alterations, cancellations and delays of up to 30 minutes.

“Stagecoach will pass tickets on route 700 between Brighton and Portsmouth.”