A police officer kept chasing a suspect for his first arrest – despite getting a six-inch branch stuck in his eye.

Pc John Nash slipped on mud and slid head first into a bush while pursuing the man in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, just six days into the job.

He only realised he was injured when he arrested the suspect, who told him he had “better get to hospital”.

Pc Nash, 25, underwent three hours of surgery, which saved his eye, and says he now just wants to return to work.

The officer was in an unmarked police vehicle following a car being driven erratically on an estate when it was abandoned in Walton Close.

Two men ran off and Pc Nash gave chase, in conditions described as “driving rain”, and cornered one in a dead end.

Link to source