Three injured in police van crash in Churchdown

THREE people were injured in a crash involving a police van in Churchdown.

One man suffered a broken pelvis and another has a fractured femur and also suffered head injuries.

A female Police Community Support Officer was also injured in the accident which saw the B4063 closed for more than seven hours.

Firefighters had to cut out two men out of their white Rover Metro after it was involved in a collision with the van on the Cheltenham Road East between Pirton Lane and Parton Road.

The pair, from Cheltenham, were taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Police said they were not in pursuit of the car when the crash happened.

A police spokeswoman said: "The van was not chasing the car, and was not involved in a chase at all."

The Independent Police Complaints Commission initially investigated the smash which took place at 8.48pm on Tuesday.

However, last night a spokesman for the IPCC said the matter had been passed back to Gloucestershire police.

He said: "We had a referral from Gloucestershire police last night and we are satisfied with their report and their eyewitness account.

"We have sent it back to be dealt with locally as there's no need for any further oversight from us."

A shop assistant at Bonjour, on the corner of Cheltenham Road and Pirton Lane said: "It was a big accident and the road was cordoned off. At first we heard that a man had been killed."

A Cheltenham Road resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "When I looked out of the front door there were flashing lights everywhere.

"I think a police car was involved because it happened right outside the police station."

Another resident added: "All we heard was a big bang."

Customers at the Hare & Hounds public house said the first they knew there had been an accident was when they heard the police and ambulance sirens.

Teenager Kieran Saunders, of Innsworth Lane said: "I was cycling over Cheltenham Road to Parton Lane when I saw all the blue lights flashing. Paramedics were stretchering somebody into the back of an ambulance – it looked pretty serious."

Police would like to hear from any witnesses to the collision on 0845 090 1234, quoting incident 529 of September 30.

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