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Caroline Turner, 76, ignored blue flashing lights, but eventually stopped when an officer ran alongside her on a dual carriageway and tapped on her window.

He asked her to stop and she said: "Why, what have I done?" a court heard.

The officer explained that her driving was unacceptable. She replied: "There is nothing to discuss, I'm going home."

She was detained in a police cell overnight on Tuesday (4 October) because officers feared her driving could lead to a fatal accident.

Turner sparked the major police operation after she drove the wrong way round a roundabout in Thorpe, Essex.

She veered onto the opposite side of the road into oncoming vehicles, then refused to stop as cops pursued her along the A12.

She was followed by an unmarked police car from Thorpe to Weeley to the A120 and on to the A12.

Her speed varied from 10mph to 20mph on the 27-mile "chase".

An officer left his vehicle, ran alongside her Ford Fiesta, tapped on the window and asked her to pull over after Turner ignored emergency flashing lights.

Police formed a rolling road block and closed the A12 when she refused to pull over. She was eventually pulled over at Marks Tey - eight miles after entering the dual carriageway.

Turner, of Gidea Park, Romford, Essex, admitted driving without due care and attention and failing to stop when asked by police when she appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court.

Rafael Pigott mitigating, said: "Police erred on the side of caution because of an elderly driver knocking over a young girl in the town centre recently."

Barry Wheatcroft, chairman of the bench, disqualified Turner from driving for 12 months, fined £100 and ordered to pay £100 costs.

Mr Wheatcroft said: "The safety of the public is paramount and your driving yesterday was a demonstration of driving which was careless bordering on dangerous."