Police chase ends in tree hut

Police arrested a teenage boy who was found hiding in a treehouse after fleeing officers.

A teenage boy who fled from a car during a police chase has been arrested after he was found hiding in a treehouse.

Westshore, Napier residents took to the streets about 10.30pm on Friday as police scoured the area for the teenager.

Police said they pursued him from Wairoa to Westshore after he drove through a routine checkpoint and was listed as a disqualified driver.

He was seen to be driving the small green car generally okay but accelerated to speeds up to 140km/h.

Police said they laid spikes north of Whirinaki but they did not stop the driver, who carried on with a flat tyre after hitting them.

The car was down to the rims and was being driven slower as it went over a bridge and passed the State Highway 5 turnoff.

As the car approached Bay View, sparks could be seen flying from the rims and hitting the tarseal, as the car reached a speed of just over 100km/h.

More spikes were set up on Meeanee Quay but the driver abandoned the car in the middle of the road just south of Hawke's Bay Airport.

He then sprinted toward the Esplanade, police said.

Cordons were set up around Pukeko Place as police searched for the driver. Two others who were also in the car were spoken to.

The driver was chased on foot before police lost sight of him, finding him soon after at the rear of a section, hiding in a treehouse.