A female officer has this afternoon been hit by a speeding car being pursued by police.

The police officer was seriously injured in the middle of Shepherds Bush Road just after 3.30pm after attempting to stop an orange car which had mounted the pavement.

Witnesses said the speeding orange car had sped up Shepherds Bush Road mounting the pavement when it's path had been blocked by a squad car outside Hammersmith police station.

Police officers on foot ran from the nearby police station to intercept it and to block it from driving away.

A female police officer is then said to have stood in the road to block its only exit and was literally 'mowed down'. A 24-year-old man was later arrested for attempted murder, over the incident.

Witness Theresia Petersen, 24, of Shoreditch, who was on her way to visit a friend in Hammersmith, said: "I saw the whole thing. I can't believe that just happened. A police car came behind us with his blue lights on chasing an orange car. I drove my car over to make space and he came through trying to stop an orange car coming from the opposite direction up the road. The orange car then mounted the pavement to avoid the squad car blocking its path.

Officer hit by car in chase on Shepherds Bush Road

"Officers were running on foot from outside the police station to try and stop the car from getting away. This female police officer then ran out into the road to block his only exit and he literally mowed her down. She went up onto his bonnet, flew into the air and then smashed her head against my car. She then landed in the road and she had her hands and arms over her head but then I think she passed out. The driver of the orange car literally just ran her over. He hit her at speed. It was just horrific. I hope to god she's ok."

Witness Theresia Petersen, 24, from Shoreditch

Shepherds Bush Road remains closed in both directions.

The orange or rust coloured car was stopped almost immediately after the incident at Brook Green after what looked like an unmarked police car had hit it. Beyond the cordoned off area towards Shepherds Bush could be seen squad cars and police motorbikes which had come from the other direction to intercept the speeding car.