A POLICE officer and a male driver were both hospitalised following a head-on car crash.

The crash happened last Friday evening between a marked police car and a Ford Ka shortly before 11.15pm on the road between Fowlescombe Gate and Marridge Cross, near California Cross.

The male police officer, who was on patrol but not responding to a call, sustained a broken wrist and minor injuries to his head and body. The driver of the Ford Ka suffered a leg injury. Both drivers had to be cut from their cars and were taken to Derriford Hospital.

The driver of the Ford Ka was taken by Police helicopter but neither injury was thought to be life threatening or life changing.

Police received a call at around 11.15pm on Friday May 11 from the male police officer who was involved in the crash.

He said that his Ford Focus marked police car had been involved in a head on collision with a blue Ford Ka on the B3196 near the California Cross junction.

Police attended the scene and closed the B3196 at Ugborough in both directions between the A3121 junction and the California Cross junction while police investigation work was carried out.

The fire brigade were also in attendance at the scene.

Night vision goggles were used by the police helicopter team to assist in the safe landing in a nearby field, to allow the Ford Ka driver to be loaded into the aircraft.

The driver of the Ford Ka driver, who is believed to be from the Kinsgbridge area, needed an operation on his leg.

Sergeant Jane Corkhill, from the Serious Collisions Investigation Unit, said: 'We are appealing for any witnesses to this collision or anyone who saw either vehicle in the area prior to the incident to ring 101 quoting reference 908 of May 11, 2012.

The incident was initially referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, as is normal when there has been an incident involving a police vehicle. The IPCC have now passed this back to Devon and Cornwall police for local investigation.