TWO police officers have been taken to hospital and a man has been arrested following a serious crash this evening.

The collision is reported to have taken place at the junction of Woodchurch Road and Storeton Road in Prenton, close to the Halfway House Hotel, at around 8.55pm on Friday, September 8.

The police car is reported to have been blue lighting to an emergency inicident when it colldided with a Volkswagen Passat travelling in the opposite direction. 

The impact caused the police car to catch fire and the two officers have since been taken to hospital after getting out of the vehicle. 

The driver of the Passat is reported to have fled the scene but has since been arrested.

A driver from another vehicle is also reported to have been taken to hospital following the collision.

A Merseyside Police spokesperson said: "At around 8.55pm, a marked police car, which was on its way to an emergency incident, and had its blue lights and siren on, was travelling along Woodchurch Road when a grey Volkswagen Passat travelling from the opposite direction at speed collided with the police car, which then caught fire.

"The driver of the Passat ran away from the scene following the collision and fortunately the two officers were able to get out of the police car before the fire took hold.

"The driver of the Passat was found a short while later and he and the police officers were taken to hospital suffering from back and neck injuries.

"The driver of the Passat has been discharged from hospital and has been arrested for failing to stop at the scene of a road traffic collision and failure to provide a breath test at the scene, he has been taken to a police station where he will be interviewed.

"Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service attended and were able to safely distinguish the car fire.

"An investigation into the collision is ongoing and we are appealing for anyone who saw the collision, or who has dashcam footage of the collision, to come forward.

"Anyone with information can contact us on Twitter @MerPolCC or on Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ quoting reference 1200 of 8 September."