DETECTIVES are hunting suspected burglars who rammed a police car as they made their getaway.

Police were called at 12.05pm on Monday with reports three men had been seen trying to jemmy open a patio door at a home off Yeldham Road, Castle Hedingham.

No entry was gained and the men were seen to run off.

Officers attended and carried out a search of the area.

While they were making enquiries, a further call came in shortly after 1pm with reports of a burglary in progress at a property in Beridge Road, Halstead.

Three men were seen getting into a Skoda Octavia, which drove off.

A kitchen window had been jemmied open and a more than £1,000, sentimental jewellery including a Pandora charm bracelet, two games consoles and a HP laptop in a burgundy Jasper Conran case were stolen.

Officers were dispatched to the call, but the Skoda rammed into one of the police vehicles on the A131 in High Garrett.

It was tracked by a police helicopter to Braintree, where it struck a Nissan Qashqai in Bridport Way at about 1.15pm.

The officer and member of the public who were driving the vehicles involved in the collisions were not injured. However there was damage to the front of both vehicles.

The Skoda, which was later discovered to have been stolen from Bedfordshire, was found abandoned in the Tesco car park in New Street at about 2.20pm. The suspects had fled the scene.

Police carried out an extensive search of the area and enquiries are ongoing to locate the men, who are all believed to be aged in their 20s.

The first suspect was described as white and wearing a cream sweatshirt with grey cuffs and blue jeans.

The second was described as black, wearing a light coloured top and blue jeans, and carrying a light blue carrier bag with green handles and a black holdall. The third was white and wore a grey sweatshirt and blue jeans.

Detective Sergeant Becky Young, of Braintree CID, said: "Our enquiries so far have established the suspects were seen at the taxi rank in Manor Street about 1.20pm.

"They were later seen in Marlborough Road and Mountbatten Road at 2.05pm but were wearing different tops.

"The first suspect had a brown T-shirt, the second had a blue Fred Perry T-shirt and the third had a red top with a white Nike tick.

"We are linking the incidents in Castle Hedingham and Halstead to another attempted burglary in Braintree, in which a resident of Wheatley Avenue heard her front door open and close sometime between 2pm and 2.10pm. She went to investigate but did not see anyone and nothing was stolen."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Braintree CID on 101.

Alternatively, they can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or www.crimestoppers-uk.org