A motorist was forced out of his car by a man wielding a knife in a Colchester pub car park.

The 35-year-old driver had returned to his white K-reg Vauxhall Astra in the car park of the Marquis of Granby on North Hill at 11.45pm last night.

A man approached him and started talking about his car.

Det Sgt Roy Clark, of Colchester police, said today the suspect tried to get into the car. He kicked and smashed the driver's window and grabbed the keys.

Det Sgt Clark said: "He was holding what appeared to be a knife."

The suspect then made off in the car and was spotted by a police patrol on Balkerne Hill.

The Astra was then involved in a collision with a Vauxhall Cavalier at the Maldon Road roundabout. It later hit a building in Chapel Street.

A man has been arrested and was today being questioned in connection with the incident.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.