Officer injured after being dragged along road

A police officer has been left with multiple fractures after he was dragged along the road by a car driven by a suspected drunk driver.

It happened shortly after 23:00 BST on Sunday in Beltany Road, Omagh.

The officer sustained fractures to his foot, as well as cuts and bruises and is expected to be unable to work for some time, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said.

A 24-year-old man arrested on suspicion of a driving offences remains in police custody.

"This was a very dangerous situation which could have had a much, much more dire outcome," Ch Insp Graham Dodds said.

The senior officer said the driver had been stopped because police believed he may have been under the influence.

When told that a preliminary breath test would be carried out, Ch Insp Dodds said the driver "took off at speed dragging the police officer along with his vehicle for several meters before the officer was able to free himself".

"Both driver and vehicle were located in Kesh where the car had run out of fuel," he added.

"The driver was arrested on suspicion of offences including driving with excess alcohol, dangerous driving and assault on police."

Police have appealed for anyone information to come forward. They particularly want to hear from the member of the public who stopped to help the officer.