A DRAMATIC police chase which culminated in the middle of busy Highgate led to drugs arrests. The final moments of the high-speed chase left schoolchildren and shoppers shocked on Tuesday

A DRAMATIC police chase which culminated in the middle of busy Highgate led to drugs arrests.

The final moments of the high-speed chase left schoolchildren and shoppers shocked on Tuesday.

At about 3.30pm a speeding silver Rover smashed into a bollard at the top of Highgate High Street and bounced down the road before ploughing into a double-decker bus on the corner with South Grove.

Police officers swarmed within seconds as helicopters hovered over the village.

Stephen Worswick, the managing director of Highgate Travel Ltd, said: "The car came rushing through the village followed by the police. It veered to the right and then it collided with the bus. It's just not the kind of thing that happens on a hot sleepy afternoon in Highgate Village when the schools have just finished for the day."

Vaso Louca, a partner at BBC3 Hair Studio, was working just yards from the crash. She said: "We heard a massive scarping noise and we all just legged it - we thought the car was going to come through the shop window."

Fellow trader Avril Castellazzo said: "Thank God no-one was on the zebra crossing - if they had been they'd be dead."

After the drama had subsided, police were able to confirm officers from the Serious Organised Crime Agency had chased the Rover southwards down the A1 all the way into Highgate village.

"Police tried to stop a Rover 75 motor vehicle on the southbound A1. It did not stop and officers pursued it to the junction in Highgate High Street with South Grove, where it was involved in a collision with a stationary bus," said a spokesman.

Two men, aged 41 and 61, were later arrested and were due to appear at Hendon Magistrates Court on Thursday morning.

The 61-year-old was charged with possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply and dangerous driving, while the 41-year-old was charged with supplying controlled drugs.