TRAFFIC gridlock hit York's outer ring road as a police car was involved in a smash on the outskirts of the city.

The accident happened at about 1.30pm yesterday when a police car responding to an emergency call collided with a wagon close to the Wyevale Garden Centre, on the A59 York to Harrogate road.

The smash paralysed parts of the nearby A1237, causing traffic to back-up on the A59 into York and on the outer ring road.

Cars were forced to queue for up to a mile on the A59 towards the city and shortcuts around the trouble-spot through Upper Poppleton were also busy.

Both the Volvo police car and the Mercedes wagon were travelling towards York when the collision occurred.

The police car's rear bumper was knocked off and the front of the wagon was damaged, and the vehicle skidded across the road, blocking one lane of traffic.

Sergeant John Wilkinson said: "The police vehicle was responding to an emergency call and was in collision with a wagon. We have got a lot of resources on the scene to deal with traffic problems."

An ambulance spokesman said one crew attended the scene, but no one was injured and no one was taken to hospital.

A worker at Wyevale Garden Centre said: "I just heard a huge bang and went out to see the lorry and the police car in the middle of the road.

"I think the lorry had stopped because he saw one police car coming, but didn't realise there was another one and so there was a collision.

"The police car didn't look damaged at all and the officer from the car was in the road directing traffic so can't have been hurt."

Updated: 08:49 Thursday, May 25, 2006