Nine injured after police chase ends in crash in east London

Nine people have been injured after a car being pursued by police crashed in east London.

The Metropolitan police said officers had tried to stop a vehicle they believed had been stolen.

The car failed to stop and a short pursuit followed before it collided with another vehicle in Ilford.

Ten people, including those in both cars and a motor scooter rider, were treated at the scene. Nine were taken to hospital, according to the London ambulance service (LAS).

LAS said it was called at 12.30am to reports of a crash at the junction of Barley Lane and High Road.

Of those being treated, the Met said five people aged between 14 and 46 had sustained serious injuries.

The force said the driver of the vehicle, a woman in her 20s, was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, theft and failing to stop. She remains in hospital.

The four passengers of the stolen vehicle – a woman in her 40s, a teenage girl and two men in their 20s – were also arrested on suspicion of being in a stolen vehicle. They also remain in hospital.

The Met appealed for information and said the junction would remain closed in all directions while inquiries continued.

An LAS spokesperson said it deployed an air ambulance, among other resources including a hazardous areas response team, although it did not explain why those specialists were required.

“We treated 10 patients at the scene and took nine to hospital. One person declined further aid,” LAS said in a statement to Sky News.