He surely didn't need David Beckham's BMW or James Bond's latest wheels to make a getaway on this one. A man on a horse and cart made an amazing escape by out-doing four cops motorbikes, a patrol car, a video van, two cycling constables and a helicopter in a slow-motion chase through east Leeds, England.

The 34-year-old man, who has been kept unidentified, is wanted in connection with a serious assault and was spotted by an officer on a bicycle on a side road. The man jumped on to a horse and cart and galloped away.

A police pursuit followed, though officers were careful not to get too close for fear of frightening the animal.

Locals in Chapel Allerton described "a bizarre procession" along a dual highway, with the horse and cart weaving to frustrate its pursuers.

One eyewitness said: "There was a right commotion in one of the side streets which brought a lot of us out of our front doors.

"The next thing we saw was this bizarre procession going up Scott Hall Road away from the city. It was like something out of the Keystone Cops.

"You could see the horse with these two lads riding on the cart behind.

"They were being followed by the motorcyclists, a police car and then the video van.

"They turned into Sholebroke Mount and one of the lads leapt off the cart and ran down a ginnel.

"The police surrounded the other bloke, but he was more concerned about keeping them away from the horse."

The scene ended in a side street, where the wanted man jumped off the cart and ran down a back alley.