Impaled...but PC and his trusty dog get their man

A BRAVE police officer managed to arrest a fleeing suspect, thanks to his dog, despite impaling his arms on a metal fence.

But PC Dan Thomas managed to work himself free and continue the chase while bleeding profusely, guided by his police dog Gil.

Both were called to the Sutton Coldfield area of Birmingham after reports of two men trying to steal a motorbike early on Saturday.

A 16-year-old boy was arrested, but Dan and Gil then found themselves in hot pursuit of the second suspect, a 22-year-old man who darted into gardens towards a school playing field.

Snagged

The German shepherd signalled to his handler that the suspect had climbed an 8ft fence in a frantic bid to get away.

But after lifting his dog over the fence and jumping down, the PC’s jacket snagged and a fence spike tore through his arms.

Despite his injuries, Dan continued to hunt for the suspect who was discovered hiding in bushes nearby.

He was arrested on suspicion of attempted vehicle theft moments before Dan collapsed from blood loss.

Luckily colleagues were on hand to deliver first aid but Dan’s arms would later require PC Dan Thomas recovering from his injuries, and, right, with his former police dog Janus 15 stitches. He underwent surgery at Good Hope Hospital, Birmingham, and is now recovering at home.

Dan, who has been in the force for 16 years, said: “I was tracking alone with Gil but the officers quickly found me and applied a tourniquet to prevent further blood loss.”

The doctors “said I was lucky and that with such a serious wound I could have suffered a very serious arterial bleed”.

Dan was runner-up in Crufts’ Friends for Life Competition in 2013 having been nominated for his work with a previous police dog, Janus, in collaring hundreds of crime suspects during his career.