Three 16-year-old boys who led police on a two-mile 25mph pursuit through West Kingsdown have walked free from court.

Police claimed they made three attempts to stop the teenagers who were all riding mopeds on the A20 London Road near Brands Hatch in January.

But the suspects denied failing to stop for an officer and said they were unaware they were being chased, with one of their parents describing the incident as a ‘hair dryer race’.

There was no suggestion any of the boys, all from south London, had done anything wrong and at no point did the patrol car pull alongside them.

After almost an hour of deliberation at Maidstone Magistrates' Court and despite Kent Police wanting to proceed, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges citing lack of public interest.