A TEENAGER has been arrested after allegedly crashing a car while being chased by police.

Officers on patrol became suspicious of five men inside a silver Vauxhall Vectra next to the McDonald's restaurant at the Phoenix Retail Park, on the outskirts of Paisley, at around 11.50pm on Tuesday.

Police said that, in the moments that followed, the Vauxhall was driven away at high speed, with officers in pursuit.

It is claimed the driver failed to pull over for police and, after a chase lasting around two minutes, ploughed through a pedestrian crash barrier.

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Police said the car then mounted a pavement and collided with a brick wall at the bottom of flats in nearby Hillman Crescent.

The force of the smash was so severe that all airbags in the car were deployed before four of the occupants fled the scene.

Officers arrested a fifth man who was still in the vehicle and the other four were quickly traced by officers.

The 19-year-old driver was charged with various road traffic offences and Covid tickets were issued to all five men.

Police said the car was badly damaged and the pedestrian crash barrier was ripped out of the ground as a result of the crash.

Renfrewshire Council was contacted to clear the debris and it is understood no-one was injured during the incident.

A report has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal.