A suspected armed robber is being hunted after a car chase through Colchester on Thursday.

Shoppers looked on as the Essex Police helicopter, dog units and foot patrols combed Castle Park and the surrounding area.

The major manhunt began after robbers struck at a post office in Glemsford, Suffolk.

Shortly afterwards police tried to stop a Peugeot 405 car in Middleborough, Colchester, for a routine check.

The car made off but was halted by police at the junction of Castle Road and Roman Road after a short chase. One man escaped into the Castle Park area.

No weapons were found in the car which was taken to Colchester police station for examination.

Police surrounded the park and searched it with dogs while the helicopter hovered overhead.

The search was called off after about three hours when darkness fell.

Police believe the man who ran off could be one of the balaclava-clad robbers who struck at the post office on the Suffolk/Essex border yesterday.

Suffolk Police spokesman Simon Stevens said two men burst into the King's Road post office at about 11.45am.

He said one appeared to have a sawn-off shotgun and the other had a crowbar.

They threatened a member of staff and smashed one of the counter windows. They then made off with "a small amount" of money.

The raid is the fourth in the area since the start of December.

The first heist was by two men armed with a shotgun and crowbar at a sub-post office in Great Yeldham on December 2.

A day later raiders struck at the Melford Road post office in Sudbury.

On December 13, robbers targeted Anchorage stores and sub-post office, Dedham Road, Boxted.

Two men were arrested after leaving a car which failed to stop for a routine police check.

The two men, one a 22-year-old from the Colchester area and the other a 32-year-old from the Bedford area, were being questioned at Colchester police station last night.

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