BMW has issued a statement amid reports police forces have been told not to pursue criminals at high speeds du to safety concerns.

The Northern Echo reported last week that a ‘no pursuit policy’ has been introduced by Durham Police due to safety concerns over the BMW vehicles.

Forces across the UK have reportedly been advised to avoid pushing vehicles above the speed limit when chasing criminals.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council said it is aware of a potential problem with BMW vehicles and that it is now taking “urgent steps.”

National Police Chiefs' Council lead on police driving, Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods, said: “We are aware there may be an issue with some older vehicles in our fleet and we are taking urgent steps to ensure this is addressed, including offering guidance to forces.

“Chiefs are working with the National Association of Police Fleet Managers to examine any risks.

“Our priority at this time is to ensure the safety and the long-term integrity of the equipment our officers use.”

BMW issue statement after police told to avoid high-speed chases

Despite the reports, BMW has stressed there is no reason for concern among customers.

A statement read: "The safety of our customers and their vehicles is of utmost importance to BMW.

"We have been working with the Police for some time on a technical matter linked to a small number of special high-performance vehicles.

"This issue is associated with the particular way in which the Police operate these high-performance vehicles. This unique usage profile puts extra strain on some components and therefore BMW has specified a special servicing programme for these vehicles.

"There is no need for action on any civilian vehicles."