Two motorists have described a frightening encounter with a vehicle travelling towards them on the wrong side of the road during a police operation in central Christchurch.

The women, who ChrisLynchMedia.com has agreed not to name, were travelling along Deans Avenue shortly before 9AM when they first noticed police preparing road spikes.

One of the witnesses said more police vehicles then approached from behind with their sirens activated.

After travelling through the Riccarton Road area and crossing Kilmarnock Street, the women suddenly saw a vehicle coming directly towards them.

“There is a car coming towards us on the wrong side of the road on the footpath,” one of the women recalled.

The driver said she initially did not know how to react as the vehicle approached.

“We didn’t know what to do. We were just like deer in headlights.”

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She said the occupants appeared to be teenagers and were wearing black balaclavas.

The passenger said she found herself looking directly at one of the occupants as the vehicle approached.

“They’re literally just staring right at us. The guy with his eyes just in our face.”

She said the vehicle managed to get around them before accelerating away along Deans Avenue.

The driver described the encounter as frightening and surreal.

“It was a really out of body experience to witness. It was crazy.”

Footage seen by Chris Lynch Media shows a vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road, narrowly avoiding a head on crash.

A police spokeswoman said one young person has been arrested after fleeing from Police in Christchurch this morning.

“Police first spotted a stolen vehicle at approximately 8.25am on Moorehouse Ave.

“Police deployed spikes around the CBD to stop the vehicle; however, the alleged offender was able to evade police.

“Police arrested the young person on Buchannan’s Road a short time later.

He will appear in youth court this afternoon.”