A policeman narrowly escaped with his life after being mown down by a suspected joyrider during a high-speed chase.

PC Mark Brown was today recovering at home after suffering concussion, a dislocated shoulder and cuts to his arm and head.

The experienced traffic officer, who lives in Worthing, was struck by a blue Volvo Estate being pursued by police through Wick, near Littlehampton.

PC Brown, who was deploying a Stinger tyre-puncturing device across Wick Street to stop the joyrider, was thrown ten feet into the air by the impact.

Witnesses said the Volvo struck PC Brown after swerving to avoid the device and then accelerated away from the scene as fellow officers went to the aid of the injured policeman who lay bleeding, but still conscious, on the side of the road, near a small parade of shops.

Police, backed by the force helicopter, launched a major manhunt after the incident and later arrested a man.

One shop owner, who declined to be named, said: "A joyrider was in a blue Volvo coming down the road. The policeman threw the stinger into the road and the driver swerved to avoid it and hit the poor copper.

"It appears he was just trying to avoid the Stinger. It was horrible."

Anthony Knight, 59, a baker, who lives in Wick Street, just yards from the scene, said: "I came out of my house and the police officer was just lying on the side of the road.

"He was there on the floor and all the other officers were leaning over him. I could see the skin had come off his arm but he was conscious and talking to the other officers. They didn't panic and took the whole thing in their stride - they were very professional. The ambulance was here for about an hour."

Inspector Mark Trimmer, of Sussex Police traffic division, said the officer was later released from Worthing Hospital.

He said: "We are appealing for witnesses to a fail-to-stop collision in which an officer was injured. The incident occurred at about 8pm on Friday at the junction of Wick Street and Courtwick Road. The offending vehicle was seen to drive towards Littlehampton."

In April 1999, PC Jeff Tooley was killed by a hit-and-run driver as he manned a speed trap in Shoreham. Van driver John Heaton was jailed for seven years but the sentence was reduced to five on appeal.

The Argus launched the Justice for Jeff campaign following his death, and the subsequent sentence, which was branded a disgrace. The campaign called for judges to be given powers to increase sentences for drivers who kill.