An investigation will be carried out by the Independent Police Complaints Commission after a car crash in Stevenage which has left a woman critically ill in hospital.

The collision – involving a white BMW convertible – happened shortly before 1am on Friday in Clovelly Way in the town, with the road subsequently closed.

A woman in her 20s was taken to Stevenage’s Lister Hospital with serious injuries and remains in a critical but stable condition.

A short time before the collision, officers had signalled for the BMW to stop as it was leaving Stevenage Leisure Park – but police say it had failed to do so and had driven off out of sight.

A spokeswoman for the force has said there would be an IPCC investigation as a “mandatory referral” because police had “some contact” with the BMW before the crash.

Incidents such as these are referred to the IPCC as a matter of course.

Anyone with information about the collision is asked to contact Herts police via the non-emergency number 101, quoting ISR 14 of August 11.