Shocked neighbours heard a “horrendous screech” and a bang yesterday (May 26) as a police chase came to a dramatic end.

In Stradbroke Grove, Buckhurst Hill, a tree was completely destroyed as a fleeing car mounted the kerb and smashed into it at about 12.30pm.

Two men were arrested on suspicion of theft of a vehicle after the chase.

Parish councillor Ken Williamson was in his Stradbroke Grove front garden as the Vauxhall Zafira swung round the junction from The Meadway.

He said: “The car came at speed down The Meadway, swerved totally round, tried to make the corner and didn’t.

“First of all I thought it had hit the wall or another car.

“I immediately went to the end of the garden and saw one guy getting out of the car and running up the road.

“Quickly after a police car turned up at speed, wound the window down and asked where they went.

“Then a second turned up a minute or so after.

“It was all very quick.”

Hit by the car, the trunk of the large tree snapped and it fell over, covering half the road and two driveways.

One woman named Brenda, who asked not to give her full name after the shocking incident, was trapped in by the fallen tree.

She said: “I was due to take my Mum to hospital and we had to cancel it.

“My daughter-in-law walked into Buckhurst Hill and came back, and was boxed in.

“She had to walk home with the baby.”

She added: “The tree was obviously rotten.

“We have been here over 30 years and it was quite mature when we got here.”

Jean Thair, 72, was sitting in her kitchen was the chase came to an end outside her home.

She said: “There was the most horrendous screech.

“They went round the corner and they ended up hitting the tree.

“They left the car running, the music was still playing.”

A road sign outside the houses was also knocked down several weeks ago.

The tree remained in the road at 4pm yesterday, with the council coming to collect it.