A police car hit a 12-year-old girl at Oxford's Rose Hill parade yesterday, Wednesday, February 18.

An unmarked police car was reversing slowly when it struck the girl, at about 5pm.

The girl, who has not been named, was taken to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital where she was treated for bruising and later released.

Chief Superintendent David McWhirter said: "We would like to extend our apologies to the girl and her family."

Police will hold an internal investigation into the circumstances of the accident.

The plain-clothes police officers were in Rose Hill investigating a suspected stolen car when the accident happened.

A 25-year-old man from Cheltenham was arrested at the scene and was questioned at St Aldate's police station.