A police car answering an emergency call veered across incoming traffic after a collision with another car before smashing into a row of bicycles, hitting a tree, colliding with parked car and crashing into a shop.

Onlookers said it was incredible that no pedestrians or cyclists were injured or killed, as the accident in the busy London Road, Headington happened at peak shopping time, about 12.50pm on June 11.

The male police officer driving the car suffered back and neck injuries and firefighters had to cut the doors off his vehicle to get him out.

He was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital where his condition was described last night as not life-threatening.

His female colleague escaped uninjured but suffered severe shock.

The police car was heading down London Road towards Oxford to answer an emergency call when it overtook another car.

The two vehicles collided, causing the policeman to lose control of the Vauxhall Astra. It veered across the road, hitting the bikes and another car on the way, before eventually coming to rest in the front of Sun-kissed Tanning.

Witnesses said the accident could have been much worse, as the nearby Cafe Noir was packed with customers.

Police have refused to say what call the car was answering. Force investigators closed off London Road for several hours after the accident while they carried out an examination of the site.

Neil Grant, 25, of Headington, was the first on the scene and comforted the officer while they waited for an ambulance.

He said: " I saw the police car try to overtake a blue car and then the police car swerved off the road and crashed into the shop.

"I ran over to the car and saw the policeman. He was in an awful state, really bad."

Silvie Reddy, 64, of High Street, Headington, said: "Just two hours ago I went to do my shopping at Sainsbury's. It could have been me crossing then. It's just lucky that nobody was killed."

Jean Jacobs, 75, of Sandy Lane, Blackbird Leys, said: "If somebody had been walking along the road they could have been killed. I've never seen anything like it."

Jessie Webster, 82, of Steven Road, Headington, said: "I was walking down when I saw all the police cars. It could have been much worse if they had hit people sitting in Cafe Noir or walking along the street."