A SUSPECTED burglar was caught hiding up a tree after a police chase through the Cotswolds.

Police were alerted to a burglary at Eastcombe Post Office just after 3am on March 7.

Thieves gained entry to the post office by smashing a window, but in doing so activated the alarm and alerted the occupants who reported seeing a vehicle speed off from the location.

Sergeant D'Arcy and his team attended the store and asked for support from the National Police Air Service.

The police helicopter saw a car leaving the Stroud district and followed it into the Cotswolds.

The car, a stolen Audi SQ5, stopped in South Cerney and the driver was seen to enter a wooded area.

A police dog and its handler, PC Mansell, were deployed to the area and found a man hiding up a tree.

A 42-year-old man from Gloucester but now residing out of county, was arrested on suspicion of burglary.

He was taken to Compass House Police Station where he was later charged with burglary of the post office, handling stolen goods and driving without insurance.

He was refused bail and attended court in Cheltenham on March 9 where magistrates remanded him in custody to appear at Gloucester Crown Court on April 23.

Police Sergeant Garrett Gloyn shared the news of the arrest on a neighbourhood alert adding: "Appreciating how vulnerable such small stores are and yet how vital they are to our rural communities, I wanted to let you know about this fantastic piece of work by your local officers, the police air service and PC Mansell."