Police motorcyclist responding to 999 knocked off bike by 'dangerous' VW Transporter driver

A police motorbike rider is recovering in hospital after he was knocked off his bike by a driver in a VW Transporter while responding to an emergency, Greater Manchester Police has confirmed.

The crash happened at 8.36am after the VW Transporter made a right turn off Ashton Old Road despite signage saying 'no right turn' while the motorbike was making an overtaking manoeuvre, according to the force. The impact unseated the police bike rider, aged 53, who was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

As police appealed for any witnesses to come forward, tonight police were continuing to interview a 62-year-old man was who was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

READ NEXT: Mum's anguish over missing son as desperate family travel to his last known sighting 200 miles away

In an update on Friday afternoon, a statement from GMP said a Volkswagen Transporter van was travelling Westbound on Ashton Old Road towards Manchester City Centre when the incident happened.

At the same time a police officer was riding a liveried motorbike with its emergency equipment activated, overtaking the van to the offside, said the force.

GMP said: "At the junction of Ashton Old Road and Brennock Close, the Volkswagen Transporter makes a right turn onto Brennock Close, a street where there is ‘no right turn’ signage. The Volkswagen Transporter turns into the path of the police motorbike, unseating the rider.

"The police motorbike rider, a 53-year-old man, was taken to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries after being thrown off the motorbike. No other vehicles were involved, and no other injuries were reported.

"A 62-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous