Woman hit by van on golf course after police chase
BBCA woman has been taken to hospital with what could be "life-threatening injuries" after being hit by a van on a golf course following a police chase.
Emergency services were called to Aston Wood Golf Club in the village of Little Aston, on the border of Staffordshire and Sutton Coldfield, at 10:26 BST on Friday.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said when it had arrived the woman, who was a pedestrian, was in a critical condition and she had been taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham for further treatment.
No-one else required treatment, the ambulance service said.
Staffordshire Police said the crash had happened on the course following a chase by West Midlands Police cars.
A spokesperson said the grey Nissan van was pursued following reports of suspicious activity.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the police watchdog, was told of what had happened by West Midlands Police.
The IOPC said it had been informed two police patrol cars started to follow the van at about 10:15 BST in the Kingstanding area of Birmingham.
It added: "We understand the police cars stopped following the van after it came off the road and went up an embankment onto the golf course where the van collided with a woman."
Officers followed a short time later, on foot it said, and gave first aid to the woman.
The Staffordshire force said it was working with West Midlands Police to trace the driver and two passengers of the van, who ran off.
Darren Priddey, who lives nearby, said his neighbour had heard "a lot of screaming coming from this general direction".
Mr Priddey said he had then seen a lot of police activity, including police with dogs, searching for something or someone in a nearby garden.
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