Police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct has launched an investigation after a crash following a police 'pursuit' left two women with 'serious injuries'.
Greater Manchester Police said a van 'failed to stop for police' in the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester and following a 'short pursuit', it crashed into a Volkswagen Polo. The driver and a passenger in the Polo - both women aged in their 20s - were taken to hospital with what were described by the force as 'serious injuries'.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed later a referral had been made to the IOPC following the incident at around 11.30pm on December 1 at Cheetham Hill Road's junction with Green Hill Road.
The Manchester Evening News reported at the time officers taped off the main road between Albyns Avenue and Woodlands Street, with the road closed in both ways.
The IOPC said it had started an 'independent investigation into the circumstances' surrounding the crash due to the involvement of police. It's not known whether any arrests were made and no further update has been given on the women's conditions.
A GMP force spokesman said: "At around 11.30pm on Wednesday 1 December 2022, a driver failed to stop for police and so officers engaged in short pursuit.
"A short time later, the van collided with a Volkswagen Polo on Cheetham Hill Road. Two women in their 20s from the Polo were taken to hospital with serious injuries."
No further details have been revealed.
In a statement, the IOPC told the M.E.N.: "Following a referral from Greater Manchester Police we started an independent investigation into the circumstances of a collision on Green Hill Road, Cheetham Hill.
"We were notified by the force that a van had been involved in a collision with a Volkswagen Polo shortly after 11.30pm on 1 December and that a police vehicle had been involved in a short pursuit prior to the incident. The driver and the passenger of the Polo were taken to hospital for their injuries.
"Following notification from GMP we sent investigators to the scene and to the police post incident procedure to begin gathering information. We declared an independent investigation on 7 December and our enquiries are ongoing."
No further details have been provided.
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