A chubby middle-aged man shocked social media users by outrunning two police officers after a traffic stop turned into a foot chase.

The bizarre scene unfolded in the village of Chynow, in Poland's Masovian Voivodeship, when the 41-year-old driver suddenly bolted from his car on a quiet rural road.

The incident took place in late May, according to local reports.

Video of the escape shows the man, who appears solidly built and not particularly athletic, making a break for it as one stunned officer draws his gun and shouts: "Stop, police! Stop, or I'll shoot!"

The runaway suspect, who was not named, sprinted about 50 metres (164 feet) before the cops caught up and hauled him to the ground.

A police spokesman said the man was from Piaseczno County and had been pulled over for a routine check.

He was later identified as a wanted man with two lifetime driving bans and a 1.5-year prison sentence still to serve.

He was also charged with giving false personal details and attempting to avoid arrest.

Online jokers mocked the cops' fitness levels after footage of the chase emerged on TikTok.

One viewer quipped: "Who passed their fitness tests?"

Another added: "He accelerated better than a Volkswagen."

A third joked: "Looks like a scene from the show Ranczo."

(MJ Leidig/newsX)