Police officer hurt as fleeing M42 lorry rams cars

A police officer was hurt during the motorway operation in which five men were arrested

A motorway police officer suffered suspected broken ribs when a lorry with cloned plates and a cargo of stolen spirits rammed cars to make a getaway.

The truck had failed to stop for police on its M42 northbound journey at 10:00 BST on Friday, leading to a road block being set up further down the route.

There, before Junction 7 near Coleshill, Warwickshire, a stinger was used, deflating the HGV's front tyres.

But it carried on, ramming several cars as it went.

Among them was a police vehicle, leading to the officer's injury.

"[The lorry] carried on until a further stinger was deployed just before junction 9 [near Curdworth] to deflate the rear tyres, and the vehicle exited the motorway before driving the wrong way down the southbound exit slip road," Central Motorway Police said.

"The HGV rammed a police vehicle and hit several other cars, leaving an officer with suspected broken ribs, eventually coming to a stop blocking the slip road."

Police said the lorry's driver ran off but was detained with the assistance of a police helicopter.

He was one of a group of five males aged between 22 and 40 arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft and burglary, police added.

One of the men in the lorry, which was carrying 200 crates of stolen spirits, required hospital treatment for injuries sustained when it came to a stop.