A POLICE officer sustained spinal injuries after his patrol vehicle was rammed by a stolen car.

The unnamed, married 33-year-old officer is in hospital on Teesside, his condition reported as "comfortable".

Cleveland Police are appealing to people to help catch the two men who were in the stolen car.

A spokesman said: "A white Ford escort was stolen from the Ottawa Road area on Longlands, Middlesbrough. Minutes later the stolen vehicle rammed a marked police vehicle."

The collision occurred outside the James Cook University Hospital, on Middlesbrough's Marton Road, the Escort being driven off at speed towards the A174.

It was later found abandoned at Hemlington, on the outskirts of Middlesbrough.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Cleveland Police on (01642) 303126.

Earlier in the week, two men driving a stolen black Fiesta narrowly missed a pedestrian in West Lane, Middlesbrough, and caused traffic to swerve after careering across a road junction on the town's Union Street.

Neither they nor the car were caught.