A MACHETE-WIELDING fugitive was tasered as he hid from police on the roof of a garage after threatening Tesco staff and shoppers in Beckenham.

The 35-year-old man had previously entered the store in Croydon Road with a machete before fleeing when police arrived and smashing into several parked cars.

Met Police officers swooped on the 24-hour superstore at 3.32am this morning.

They arrived as the suspect fled from in a car, hitting cars in the Tesco car park and then colliding with another parked vehicle in Croydon Road.

He then ditched his getaway car and ran away from police on foot.

The Met Police helicopter was scrambled to the scene to help trace the suspect, who was eventually spotted hiding on the roof of garages in Goddard Road, Elmers End.

Officers tasered him in order to safely arrest him and the machete was seized.

Mary Lockyer, 69, lives in nearby Wimborne Way.

She told News Shopper: "We always hear sirens coming past where we live but I noticed there were more sirens than usual last night.

"I come to this Tesco every week to shop and if I had been there when this happened I don't know what I would have done.

"It would have freaked me out. It makes me worried about my safety."

Alan Justice, 43, is the director of dance school HJA Performing Arts, located opposite the Tesco.

He said: "It is really scary. Because I work long hours I often shop there at one or two in the morning.

"I've often thought it's very wide open.

"The children from the dance school go there to buy treats when they are here.

"But it is the kind of thing that could happen anywhere.

"That Tesco is a really good store and it is really well run.

"What I want to know is where did this guy come from? How did he get a machete?"

No one was injured during the incident.

The man remains in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon, drink driving and absconding from prison.

A 29-year-old woman was also arrested at the scene on suspicion of shoplifting.

A Tesco spokesman said: “We are very relieved that none of our customers or colleagues were hurt and we will of course assist the police in any way we can.”