Germany's low-speed car chase

By Ray Furlong
BBC Berlin correspondent

A German man has been arrested after smashing up two police cars with a stolen tractor in a low-speed car chase.

The incident occurred in the western town of Montabaur late on Sunday, after the 37-year-old man had an argument with his girlfriend.

It is not clear why, but after the row he decided to drive off in the tractor that belonged to the couple's landlord.

The man ignored calls from the police over a loudspeaker for him to stop, and when the police formed a road block with their vehicles he lowered the forks at the front of the tractor and rammed them.

Nobody was hurt, but the police cars were badly damaged.

The man was arrested when his tractor ground to a halt shortly afterwards, and is now being investigated for - among other things - intimidation and dangerous driving.

Not surprisingly, his blood has also been tested for alcohol.