A policewoman was seriously injured after stopping to help the driver of a broken-down van on the A34.

The roads policing officer, who is based at Bicester, was helping the driver of a white Ford Transit box van when a blue Ford Mondeo travelling northbound collided with her and a police car.

A 63-year-old man from Leicestershire was arrested at the scene on suspicion of dangerous driving and has been released on bail until February 8.

The collision happened north of the Peatree interchange, just before the Kidlington junction, at about 8pm on Thursday night.

The northbound carriageway was closed for several hours whilst crash investigators tried to work out what happened and recovered the vehicles.

The police officer was taken to Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital but her injuries, which include a broken leg, are not life threatening.

Drivers were turned around and escorted off the road at around 11pm.

Thames Valley Police is not revealing the identity of the injured officer.

Anyone with information should call Sgt Nigel Welham on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.