A driver went the wrong way round a roundabout, drove on the wrong side of the road and went through red lights during a high-speed chase around Whitchurch, a court heard.

Adrian Birch, 34, also reversed his van into a police car during the pursuit around the town and surrounding villages.

He drove at well above the speed limits and the chase ended when Birch abandoned his vehicle in a pub car park in November 2017.

Birch ran run off, but had handed himself into police the following day.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court this week Birch was given a 12-month community order which includes a rehabilitation programme and a 28-day curfew.

He was also fined £2,500 and banned from driving for 18 months..

Judge Anthony Lowe told Birch that even though it was 2am, it did not mean there was no traffic and someone else’s life may have been ended or been seriously injured.

Birch, of High Street, Whitchurch, had admitted a charge of dangerous driving.

Kevin Jones, prosecuting, said the incident happened when police were called to a reported burglary in the Newport Road area.

He said a van was spotted on a grass embankment with its lights on and its engine running before it drove off over the pavement.

Mr Jones said that it was subsequently discovered the van had no connection with the suspected break-in.

However, the police pursued the van as Birch drove away and took a roundabout near Bridgewater Street on the wrong side of the road before going through a red light and mounting the pavement.

The van's speed began to increase and was speeding around blind bends and went through areas of Whixall at 80mph and was doing 55mph in Welshampton.

“He was on the wrong side of the road for long periods," said Mr Jones.

Andrew Holland, for Birch, said his client had been in possession of drugs at the time, but they were not his and he was under no illusions about the seriousness of the case.