A family who claims their garage roof was damaged in a police chase said it is “disgusting” police have refused to compensate them.

Paul Matheou, who lives in Chichester Road, Edmonton, provided CCTV footage from July this year which shows a man, followed by a police officer, climbing onto the roof.

Mr Matheou said he attempted to repair the roof a few days later, but he fell through it and ended up with a serious back fracture.

He was taken to North Middlesex University Hospital where he was put in braces and will continue to use them while his back heals.

It meant he had to cancel his planned trip to Spain with his wife Sophia and five-year-old son.

Mr Matheou is demanding compensation from the police.

The force said it sympathises with the position the family is in, but believed no damage was caused by its officer.

The Edmonton father said: “We are just very angry and I don’t think the situation will get resolved.

“The police should be embarrassed by this and I think it’s disgusting.

“The police were not even sorry after jumping onto my roof.”

Mr Matheou said he is considering legal action against the police. Another option for the couple would be to take out a claim on their own insurance.

He said: “We do not want to take out a claim on our insurance, why should we?

“In my opinion this is trespassing and they went onto our property without permission.

“And to not have the respect to come back and apologise, I would call the whole thing deceitful.”

A Met Police spokesperson said: “The fact that the Met may have been involved in circumstances during which damage occurred is not in itself sufficient for a claim against the Met to be successful; negligent actions or omissions by the Met are the necessary criteria for compensation to be paid.

“We have carefully considered the claim and believe that no damage was caused by the Met. We have communicated our position fully and remain sympathetic to the position that they find themselves in.”