A man has been jailed for dangerous driving after leading police on a chase through Weymouth.

Police said the "reckless actions" of Marek Roman Tarnawski put other road users and pedestrians in the area at "significant risk".

Tarnawski, 37, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to six months in prison at Weymouth Magistrates’ Court after admitting dangerous driving. He was also disqualified from driving for two years.

He entered further guilty pleas to offences of failing to comply with a traffic signal, driving a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence, using a motor vehicle on a road or public place without third party insurance and possessing a class B drug.

Police said at around 5.35pm on Monday, April 8 an officer in a marked police car witnessed a silver Vauxhall Vectra driving at speed along Spa Road and turn right onto Dorchester Road.

The officer turned on their lights and sirens and followed the Vauxhall. It was seen to overtake several vehicles at speed on Dorchester Road, causing other vehicles coming in the opposite direction to take evasive action.

The Vauxhall was seen to turn left into Cranford Avenue and then into Fernhill Avenue before it was found abandoned in Ferndale Road.

A short time later, Tarnawski was seen by officers in Weymouth Way and was detained after a short foot chase. He was arrested and found in possession of a small amount of cannabis.

The Vauxhall, which was registered to the defendant, was seized. It was confirmed that Tarnawski only held a provisional driving licence.

PC Tom Arnold, of Weymouth police, said: “The reckless actions of Marek Tarnawski on Monday 8 April put other road users and pedestrians in the area at significant risk and it is only through good fortune that somebody was not seriously hurt.

“Thanks to the swift actions of officers, we were able to quickly identify Tarnawski as being responsible for these offences and he was arrested just a short time afterwards”