A THIEF leapt from a stolen vehicle and hurled a car jack through the windscreen of a police car in Leigh early today. Officers were alerted when a stolen Vauxhall Calibra was spotted on Union Street at 3.05am.

The vehicle sped along Bradshawgate before screeching to a halt.

Four men in the car were all wearing balaclava masks. One got out and threw the jack through the windscreen of a Ford Escort police car which was parked nearby.

Two officers in the car were uninjured but the attacker got back in the Calibra.

The car had earlier been driven to the Quest premises in the town centre where an unsuccessful break-in attempt took place.

Two plain clothes officers spotted the parked car and stopped alongside it, but a man in the front passenger seat threw the car's ignition barrel at them. The officers were not hurt.

The turquoise-coloured Calibra, which had been stolen from Westhoughton, sped off. It was recovered at about 7.05am near garages behind Leigh Road in Leigh. The radio had been stolen.

A silver Vauxhall Calibra was stolen from Golborne at 2.20am and later recovered in Lowton.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.