A MOTHER and her son had to be taken to hospital and an officer was injured after a police response car crashed on the way to a burglary.

The 36-year-old mother was driving a Rover 414 along Windsor Road, Lawn, when a Honda Civic with police markings came from behind on its way to the One Stop store, in nearby Guildford Avenue, where a burglary suspect was being detained by shop staff.

Both cars left the road and smashed into a walled front garden belonging to Dennis Palmer on the junction of Wigmore Avenue.

The woman, who has not been named, complained of back pain and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to cut her free.

She was taken to Great Western Hospital for treatment and is understood to have left hospital.

The woman’s 10-year-old son was in the back seat at the time but is understood to have been badly shaken but unharmed.

The female police officer received minor injuries.

Mr Palmer, 87, who was in his kitchen at the time of the incident at 1pm on Monday, said he was thankful nobody was badly hurt.

He said: “I heard the siren going for little while and then bang. I was in the kitchen washing up and I came out to see what had happened.

“The private car was inside the garden and the police car was head on up against it. Thank goodness no one was killed. I think the two drivers were just shaken up.

“The officer must have been coming at quite a pace – you can see the damage done.”

Neighbour Susan Dill, 49, saw the incident.

“I was upstairs in the front bedroom on the phone and heard a siren,” she said.

“That made me go to the window.

“It was one extraordinarily loud bang.

“I was screaming and dropped the phone because I thought she was going to come through the hedge and end up in our driveway they were going that fast.

“The private car hit the wall and spun around .

“She had all her shopping in the boot and with the impact the boot opened and it all came spilling out.”

A spokesman for Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “One adult female was medically trapped in the private car – a crew from Swindon and a crew from Stratton were on scene to help the ambulance service get the casualty out of the car.”

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident and anyone with any information should contact Sgt Barrie Card on 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.