Chelmsford: Porsche crashes in pond and Mercedes in ditch

The Porsche was partially submerged in a pond when police arrived on Monday night

A Porsche ended up "submerged" in a pond and a Mercedes in a ditch in two separate crashes involving suspected drink-drivers.

The crashes happened within a mile (1.6km) of each other in Howe Street, near Chelmsford, on Monday night.

Both drivers knew each other and the men had been driving together before the crashes, Essex Police believe.

They were arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, officers said on social media.

Posting photographs of the Porsche and the Mercedes on Facebook, they wrote: "Officers... were called to reports of a vehicle in a pond in Howe Street and on arrival arrested the driver of the submerged Porsche on suspicion of drink-driving.

"At the same time, on the same road, and less [than] a mile away, officers were dealing with [a] Mercedes, also involved in an RTC."

The Mercedes was found embedded in a hedge off the road about a mile away from the Porsche

They continued: "It appears the two males know each other and had been driving together before their individual accidents."

An Essex Police spokesman said the crashes happened on Littley Green Road, in the small village of Howe Street at about 22:45 BST.

"Two 22-year-old men have been arrested on suspicion of drink driving-related offences and have since been released under investigation," he added.