12 July 2011 Last updated at 13:47 ET

IPCC probes Stoke scooter crash pursuit

The police watchdog is investigating a collision between a car and a scooter that may have been pursued by Staffordshire Police.

Two boys, aged 15 and 16, were seriously hurt in a collision with a Nissan car in Stoke-on-Trent on 6 July.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said minutes before the crash an officer had noted one of the boys was not wearing a helmet.

The IPCC is investigating the police response and any vehicle pursuit.

Critical condition

It said three patrol cars were dealing with a separate case in nearby Weston Coyney Road shortly before the scooter collision in Weston Road, at about 1340 BST on Wednesday.

The boys are being treated at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire where the 15 year-old is believed to be in a stable condition and the 16-year-old is described as being in a critical state.

Staffordshire Police referred the incident to the IPCC on Wednesday.

IPCC commissioner Amerdeep Somal said: "We will be investigating whether any vehicle pursuit took place, whether a police vehicle attempted to stop the motor scooter, and if so, whether appropriate policies were followed."