Investigation into tram collision

A remains in hospital after a collision with a Metro tram

Police investigators will look into the case of a man who remains seriously injured after a collision with a Midland Metro tram near Birmingham.

He is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after he became trapped underneath a tram soon after he had been in a West Midlands police vehicle.

The force said the man had not been under arrest.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) will carry out an inquiry into the Tuesday's incident.

It is also being investigated by British Transport Police.

The crash saw the tram line closed for four hours through the morning between Black Lake at West Bromwich and Birmingham Snow Hill.

The man, who has not been named, was picked up by officers in Smethwick and dropped off at the Handsworth Booth Street tram stop.

'A simple encounter'

They were called to help the man by a member of the public, but insisted he was not involved in an incident, was not arrested and had not been in custody before the tram accident.

Ch Insp Sue Southern. of West Midlands Police, said: "We can confirm that police officers were assisting a man and he was given a lift to the train station to continue his journey.

"We have been informed by British Transport Police that the man remains in a critical condition in hospital.

"There is nothing to suggest anything untoward, it was a simple encounter," she said, adding the force referred the matter to the IPCC at the earliest opportunity.

Usually forces are only required to do so if someone has died shortly after being in contact with officers.