A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a policewoman was mown down by a car while investigating alleged drug use.

The ‘truly shocking’ incident happened while she was looking into reports of Class C drugs being used in a supermarket car park in Cheadle, Greater Manchester on Saturday night.

Class C drugs include nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, after the last Government made its possession for its ‘psychoactive effect’ a criminal offence in 2023.

The officer was patrolling the car park of the neighbouring Sainsbury’s and John Lewis stores in response to reports of ‘people acting suspiciously inside a vehicle’, Greater Manchester Police said yesterday.

Senior officers said such an assault on a colleague out serving her community was ‘completely unacceptable and won’t be tolerated’.

She was yesterday said to be ‘recovering well’.

‘As the responding police officer walked towards the vehicle, she reported that the vehicle was driven at speed towards her, hitting her,’ the force said in a statement.

‘The officer was taken to hospital for treatment of her injuries.’ 

Chief Inspector John Picton said: ‘This incident is truly shocking, and shows how quickly situations our frontline officers attend can escalate.

‘There is absolutely no explanation as to why this incident needed to end the way it did.

‘Our officers go to work every day to provide an outstanding service to the communities they serve, and achieve fantastic results in situations that are often challenging.

‘Assaults on our officers are completely unacceptable and won’t be tolerated.

‘In this case, the officer suffered serious injuries.

‘Our investigation is continuing, and the officer is being supported by all of us at the Stockport district.

‘She is recovering well.’

Other Class C drugs include anabolic steroids, diazepam and plant-based stimulant khat.