Quick-thinking kids who were taking part in an Easter egg hunt in the English village of Capel, Surrey, realised they were in the middle of a police pursuit when a helicopter began circling.

Having seen the two fleeing suspects, a group of children lay on the ground in the shape of an arrow to helpfully point the way.

Members of the helicopter crew relayed the information to officers on the ground and arrests were successfully made.

National Police Air Service Sergeant Paul Sochon said: “The swift action taken by the group of parents and their children was the sort of thing you would usually associate with an Enid Blyton adventure but their ingenuity proved a great help for our crews.

“As a thank you for their efforts the NPAS crew landed nearby to thank the children for the role they played in the incident and they even shared a few chocolate treats with the team which was an added bonus after a busy shift.”