Three held after officer injured

Three people are being questioned after a police officer was left critically ill when he tried to tackle a suspected armed robber in east London.

The Pc, with the Met's firearms unit, suffered head injuries as he attempted to stop the suspect in Newham.

During the incident a police patrol car was rammed by a car and two other officers received minor injuries.

The Met has not said exactly what happened to the officer, 30, but confirmed he was not shot or stabbed.

Police had initially been called to reports of an aggravated burglary, in which the victim said the suspects were armed, in Dagenham, east London at 0616 BST on Saturday.

After the police arrived a number of people escaped in a silver Chrysler.

The car stopped in Leytonstone High Street before stopping again in Ashlin Road at about 0643 BST. One man ran off.

Car rammed

The officer, who was armed, sustained serious head injuries after he got out of his car.

The Chrysler then rammed a marked police vehicle as it tried to get away.

Two police officers, who are both Newham borough Pcs, suffered minor injuries.

Three people who were in the Chrysler, two men aged 19 and 26, and a 21-year-old woman, were arrested.

Peter Smythe, who chairs the Metropolitan Police Federation, paid tribute to the bravery of the officer and others like him.

He told BBC London: "Officers who do that [work in the Met's armed response unit], and volunteer to do it are tremendously brave.

"They are going into a situation which most other people would run away from.

"There must be some apprehension but that's what they are trained to do, that's what they've volunteered to do. I take my hat off to them."

Cmdr Maxine De Brunner, from the Territorial Police Headquarters, said the officer and his family are being supported.

She also appealed for witnesses to come forward as soon as possible.