A woman is fighting for life after being hit by a police car on a 999 call which friends claim was not using its siren.
Laura McEwan was out celebrating her 33rd birthday with pals when the accident happened as she walked along a busy road.
She was rushed to hospital with life-threatening head injuries and more than a week later remains in intensive care in a critical condition.
The horror accident in the Stokes Croft inner city area of Bristol is now being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
One of Laura’s distraught friends, who has given evidence to the IPCC, said she didn’t hear any sirens before the marked police Ford Focus hit her.
The friend, who did not want to be named, said: “I was out with her in Stokes Croft that night. It was terrible.
“One minute we were celebrating her birthday, the next the road was closed off and Laura was in an ambulance.
“I’ve given evidence to the IPCC.
“I saw a number of police cars speeding up the road with their blue lights on, but I didn’t hear any sirens. Not one.”
The crash around 10pm on Saturday November 29 happened as a number of police vehicles responded to reports of a man making threats with a knife.
A man was later arrested on suspicion of assault and a knife was seized.
The road near the accident was closed after the collision as a detailed examination of the scene took place.
Attractive Laura, who is believed to work for a digital marketing agency, is being treated in Bristol’s Southmead Hospital but her friend claimed she has been denied access.
She said: “What concerns me the most is that Laura’s friends are her family and we can’t get into the hospital to see her.
“We’re all distraught. She’s lying there in a critical condition and we’re all feeling totally helpless.”
The IPCC said: “The 33-year-old woman involved in the road traffic collision on November 29 is still in a critical condition.
“The witness appeal has been successful with several people contacting the witness appeal line over the phone and email. Several witness statements have been set up.
“We are investigating all elements of the incident.”
A police spokesman confirmed Ms McEwan was in a life-threatening condition, but both Avon and Somerset Constabulary and Southmead Hospital refused to comment on visiting access.
