A car was spiked by police in Te Puna this morning, ending what a witness says was a lengthy pursuit.

Police say the vehicle was spiked about 9.30am on State Highway 2 in Minden.

The driver had allegedly fled after failing to stop the vehicle when police signalled on Cameron Rd in Tauranga.

Two youths were arrested and would go through the youth justice process, police said.

A witness, an employee of a nearby business, said the car chase lasted all morning.

“We’ve had cops coming up and down the road – just cops everywhere.”

They said the vehicle of interest sped down Minden Rd.

Police hid behind a tree and deployed spikes, which the car ran over.

The car spun out, slid down the road sideways and hit a traffic island just before the busy roundabout intersection with State Highway 2.

The witness said a male and a female, who grabbed her handbag, exited the vehicle and headed towards the BP service station.

A photo posted to social media showed five police officers around a small blue hatchback with flat tyres.

It was coned off next to the island.

It followed a lengthy police pursuit of a fleeing driver through Te Puke, Pāpāmoa and Welcome Bay on Monday night.