Police officer seriously injured after being hit by a car while chasing suspect

A police officer has been hurt when chasing a suspect on foot in southeast London.

The emergency services have cordoned off a road in Bexleyheath, Bexley, after the incident which left a police officer injured.

The officer was taken to hospital after being hit by a car during a foot pursuit today.

The crash happened on Erith Road which has now been closed off to traffic with a cordon in place on the A220.

The chase started when the officer attended a call over the safety of a woman.

A spokesperson for Metropolitan Police said: ‘A police officer has been taken to hospital following a collision in Bexleyheath this afternoon. 

‘Police were responding to a report concerning the safety of a woman who was with a man on Mayplace Road West at around 11:59hrs on Thursday, 13 February. 

‘Officers attended and pursued a man on foot. 

‘During the foot pursuit, an officer was involved in a collision with a car unrelated to the incident they were dealing with.

‘He has been taken to hospital with serious injuries.

‘A man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of domestic common assault.’

Navita Bhanot, the owner of Bexley Pizza, said that she heard ‘screaming’ from the road outside her shop.

She told Metro: ‘I heard someone screaming and saw lots of people on the road.

‘I saw someone being covered in a foil to keep them warm.

‘The people said that someone was hit by something. There were lots of police officers and an ambulance.’

Navita said her deliveries have been delayed as the shops have been caught inside the cordon. School groups who usually order pizzas on a Thursday have cancelled their orders as well, she explained.

Several buses have been rerouted.

Bus routes 89, 229, B11, B16, 601, 602 and 669 are using a diversion until Erith Road reopens.

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