Gold Coast man allegedly flees across swamp after being caught breaking into church

A 31-year-old from Queensland’s Gold Coast allegedly led police on a two-hour foot chase through a swamp after breaking into a nearby church.

Sunburnt and on the brink of exhaustion, the Upper Coomera man was arrested after a dog squad officer found him on the grounds of an Islamic school.

The pursuit began after the man allegedly smashed his way into a community church at Carrara.

He is accused of tearing doors from their hinges, smashing into vending machines and officers.

A caretaker confronted the man but was ignored.

When police arrived, the shirtless man dropped cans of drink and packets of food and allegedly fled, zig-zagging across 3km of swamp land.

The man was charged with a range of offences including break and enter and obstruct police.