A police officer was taken to hospital with serious injuries to his arm last night after being hit by a car thought to have been involved in an armed robbery.

The officer was injured after they approached a red VW Golf spotted on the forecourt of the Applegreen Service Station on Penwinnick Road, St Austell on foot at around 11.40pm.

He was struck by the car and sustained a serious injuries to his arm. His colleagues rushed him to hospital where he was treated and later released.

The incident followed a burglary and serious assault in St Austell and police are now appealing for help to locate the car believed to be involved.

Officers were first called to Roche after it was reported that some keys had been taken from a property at around 11.25pm on Thursday, June 6.

The suspects were travelling in a red VW Golf and left the area in the vehicle, heading in the direction of St Austell.

At around 11.40pm an officer, who was in the area responding to a separate incident, spotted the vehicle on the forecourt of the Applegreen Service Station on Penwinnick Road.

The Police Constable approached the VW Golf on foot and was struck by the vehicle as it left the scene.

Local Policing Superintendent Jim Saunders said: “The officer was rushed to hospital by colleagues and has sustained serious injuries to his arm. He has since been discharged and we all wish him well and hope for a speedy recovery.

“The suspects left the area in the car and searches have been ongoing since in order to locate them and the vehicle. The car was displaying the registration plate EJ71 CVE and we are now appealing for the public’s help to find it.”

Supt Saunders added: “I am also aware that there was separate report of a robbery at the nearby Texaco petrol station at 11pm last night, where two suspects forced entry and took cash.

“Work is ongoing to establish whether there is any link between these two incidents.

“I would urge people not to speculate about this but if you have any information that might help our enquiries, then please get in touch and report it.”

Anyone with information and anyone who may have seen the car since the incident is asked to contact police on 101 quoting log 936 06/6/24.