A police officer remains in hospital after he was hit by a Mercedes driver during a police chase in Croydon.

Police tried to stop a Mercedes being driven erratically on Lindfield Road shortly after 9pm on Saturday night (February 5).

The driver tried to flee and hit a police car in the Mercedes before crashing into an officer who was on foot.

The officer sustained serious injuries to the ankle, hip, and head, while he remains in hospital.

The Mercedes was driven “recklessly” away from the scene, then crashing into a garden wall.

The driver ran away but was stopped on foot by officers from the Met’s Violent Crime Task Force.

He was then arrested on suspicion of GBH on the officer, dangerous driving, failing to stop and aggravated taking and driving away of the car.

He was also found to be in possession of a quantity of crack cocaine.

At around the same time as the Croydon incident, officers were also called to reports of two men behaving “suspiciously” near bins in Acton.

The men were thought to be storing or accessing weapons at Clandon close.

One of the men reportedly became aggressive towards the officers.

A police constable suffered a broken finger as he arrested the suspect.

A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting the officer.

The other man who is 51 years old was also arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon after a crowbar was found nearby.

The officer has been discharged from hospital, but his hand injury will require ongoing treatment.

Superintendent John Tibaldi said: “Both these incidents show that Met officers are committed to keeping Londoners safe - not only by responding to emergencies and other reports of crime but through targeted patrols and taking positive action to prevent crime in the first place.

"Police officers routinely put themselves in harm’s way on a daily basis, dealing with dangerous situations and violent people.

“Tackling violent crime is the Met’s top priority, and that includes dealing robustly with those who assault our officers and other emergency workers.”

If you have information about those who use violence, carry weapons or bring criminality to your neighbourhood, please speak with local officers, call 101 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “Two Met officers were hospitalised in separate incidents within ten minutes of each other on Saturday evening.

“At around 9pm on February 5, police were called to two men behaving suspiciously near bins in Clandon Close, Acton.

“The men were thought to be storing or accessing weapons, so officers from the Met’s West Area BCU attended as part of concerted efforts to protect Londoners by keeping weapons off our streets.

“Officers attended and located the two men.

“One of the men became aggressive towards the officers and a male police constable suffered a broken finger as he detained the suspect.

“In a separate incident at around the same time, officers on patrol in Croydon began pursuing a vehicle after it failed to stop for police who had spotted it being driven erratically.

“The car, a Mercedes, stopped briefly in Lindfield Road, Croydon at 9.06pm.

“The driver then rammed the police car before colliding with an officer who was on foot.

“The officer, a male police constable, sustained serious injuries to his ankle and hip as well as head injuries. He remains in hospital.

“The Mercedes was driven recklessly away from the scene, stopping when it collided with a garden wall.

“The driver ran away but was pursued on foot and detained moments later by officers from the Met’s Violent Crime Task Force.

“The 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of GBH on the officer, dangerous driving, failing to stop and aggravated taking and driving away of the Mercedes.

“He was also found to be in possession of a quantity of crack cocaine.”

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