A NEW action-packed documentary will showcase the drama of Essex Police as they tackle crime on the county's roads.

The Channel Five programme, Police Interceptors, follows various members of Essex's road policing units as they attempt to capture some of the county's most elusive criminals.

In the opening episode, officers chase a drug dealer down a motorway at night; a drunk driver risks his life in a bid to escape arrest; and one of Essex's most wanted car thieves leads the interceptors on a high-speed pursuit. The interceptors are supported by the force helicopter, which has a camera on board that can read a number plate from seven miles away. The six-part series begins on Channel Five at 8pm on Friday.