Gwent Police TPAC stinger training on M4 in Newport

Gwent Police cars were photographed in hot pursuit of a dark Ford car, which drove right over the tyre deflation device.

But no arrests were made – this was part of a tactical pursuit and training containment (TPAC) exercise, in which officers trained for the real thing.

A local resident caught the action on camera from a motorway overpass near Llanmartin.

A police officer prepares to use the stinger device. Picture: Gareth Sobey

“TPAC training exercises are designed to prepare officers for real-life pursuit scenarios and uses a number of methods including ‘box and stop’ or the deployment of a stinger," a Gwent Police spokesman said.

“These exercises are designed to be tested on roads with separated carriageways and with multiple lanes, for example a motorway or dual carriageway.

“As a result, training exercises will often take place in line with the speed limit of the route."

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The stinger is one of the more dramatic ways the police can stop a fleeing suspect, throwing out a belt of metal spikes to burst a vehicle's tyres.

But the stinger used in today's training exercise had had its spikes removed, the police spokesman added.

The 'suspect' drives right over the stinger...

...and the stinger jumps into the air due to the speed of the 'suspect's' car, which drives on...

...before speeding off towards Newport, with another police car in pursuit. All pictures: Gareth Sobey

'Box and stop' is another TPAC tactic, by which police officers surround an on-the-run suspect's vehicle with their own, trapping the suspect and forcing them to slow down and eventually stop.

It isn't unusual for these exercises to take place on real roads which are still open to the public.

“TPAC training manoeuvres can occur on live routes in a bid to replicate similar incidents that officers may be called to," the police spokesman said.

“As part of the training, a subject matter expert will oversee and provide support to officers undertaking the exercise for safety purposes.

“This is an example of training provided to our officers to protect and reassure road users.”