A MAN armed with a baseball bat crashed into an elderly couple at a Wickford roundabout while on the run from police.

The suspect was seen armed with the bat, getting into a car outside The Swan pub in Broadway at around 10.30pm.

After leaving the pub, the car was the involved in a crash with a silver Ford Fiesta at the roundabout in Broadway, near to the Aldi supermarket in the town centre.

A witness to the incident, said: "Only one car was smashed up at the scene, but I overheard police saying that two vehicles were involved in the incident.

"An ambulance also came to treat someone after it happened."

Officers were at the scene where the car was found in the middle of the roundabout, with its front end completely destroyed.

After the incident, a spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service, said: "We can confirm that an ambulance was dispatched and arrived at the scene of the road traffic incident at 11pm on Tuesday July 10.

"Two people in their 80s were treated at the scene with one suffering from chest pains."

A spokesman for Essex Police later confirmed that neither of the elderly couple were "seriously injured" as a result of the crash.

Following the crash, the spokesman added: "The car, a silver Mercedes, later failed to stop for officers after exceeding the speed limit on Nevendon Road."

It is not clear why the suspect was carrying the weapon outside the pub.

A police spokesman added they "would not like to speculate".

Officers on patrol were made aware of the Mercedes when it was seen speeding through the town centre.

No chase by police took place before or after the crash in Broadway.

A police spokesman said: "The Mercedes was later found abandoned on Nevendon Road.

"The man in the car is still outstanding and no weapons have been recovered.

"Our enquiries are ongoing."

If you have any information on the crash that took place on Tuesday night or the suspect, you are encouraged to contact Essex Police by calling 101.

If you would like to report any information anonymously, you can do so by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by filling in an online form by visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org.