Elliot JessettLocal Democracy Reporting Service

PA Media Merseyside Police car in full livery on a streetPA Media

Police said one of their cars was nearly involved in the crash

A man was arrested hiding in woodland after a drunk driver narrowly avoided crashing into a police car before fleeing the scene.

Merseyside Police said a police dog “sniffed out” the suspect close to Fylde Road in Southport.

In a post published on X, the force said: “Up stepped Police Dog Kilo who traced his steps through gardens and into woodland before finding the male hiding in dense undergrowth.”

A 44-year-old man was arrested and later released under investigation following Saturday’s incident, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The post on X was accompanied by dozens of comments, all commending the work of PD Kilo.

LDRS PD Kilo has dark black furLDRS

The dog found the driver in woodlands

A police spokesman said: “Just after 23:30 BST on Saturday officers on patrol noticed a white Nissan car being driven carelessly and speeding along Fylde Road, nearly colliding with the police vehicle.

“Officers followed the vehicle into a car park where the man ran off into woodland, however with the help of PD Kilo they apprehended a man hiding in undergrowth.

“A 44-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of careless driving, failing to stop for a constable, failing to cooperate with a preliminary test, fail to provide an specimen for analysis and using threatening or abusive words and behaviour.”