A woman has been left with serious injuries after she was hit by a car fleeing police in Chatham last night.

Officers are searching for the driver of the silver Ford Fiesta which failed to stop after the crash in Manor Road at 7.08pm.

The woman, who is in her 20s, was struck as the car came from the junction with the High Street.

She was taken to a hospital in London with serious injuries.

Police say the Fiesta had been reported stolen earlier and had been stopped by a marked unit.

But as officers walked over to it, the car drove off and struck the woman in Manor Road. Officers then stayed to treat her.

The Fiesta was later found abandoned in New Cut at the junction with Railway Street.

Police spokesman Amanda Wills said: "The collision is being investigated by the Kent Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit and officers are appealing for anyone who saw the collision or the movements of the Fiesta and who have not yet spoken to police to contact them."

Anyone with information can call the witness appeal line on 01622 798538 or email the unit on sciu.td@kent.pnn.police.uk and quote the reference number DB/MS/206/17.

Kent Police has referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission because the Fiesta had been stopped by officers before the incident.