A POLICE helicopter was scrambled to help in the pursuit of a car being driven dangerously from Radcliffe to Whitefield.

Bury Magistrates heard the helicopter was eventually able to locate the pursued car as it was abandoned.

The car belonged to Edward James Fitzgerald (35), of Thrush Drive, Bury, who told magistrates he was not the driver and that police identification did not point to him.

Fitzgerald is charged with driving his Thrush Isuzu in Radcliffe while banned and without insurance and driving dangerously along Pilkington Way.

An application for bail was refused and the case was adjourned until next Wednesday while Fitzgerald's legal representatives review the evidence before plea is submitted.

The accused did admit to being in breach of a curfew, however, and that was also further adjourned to the same date.

It is alleged the driver of the Isuzu Trooper raced off along Pilkington Way and skipped red lights, reaching speeds of 60 mph. It travelled along Radcliffe New Road into Whitefield, crossing to the wrong side of the road, narrowly missing a traffic island, again going through red lights and refusing to stop. The vehicle travelled down Moss Lane and Parr Lane again at 60 mph.

The pursuing police car had to abandon the chase at Castle Brook High School and a police helicopter took over. The vehicle was later abandoned.

A woman was arrested and later released. Fitzgerald was also located and arrested.

Fitzgerald refuted the allegation that there were only two people in the vehicle and claimed he had a different coloured jacket to the one police said the driver was wearing.

He will be claiming it is a case of mistaken identity.