Firefighters battled for more than an hour to free a police officer from the twisted wreckage of his patrol car early today.

He was trapped from the waist down after the squad car went out of control, hit a traffic light and then a lamp post near Fox Corner in Shipley.

His colleague jumped out of the passenger side of the car, but was unable to free the driver.

A fire crew from Shipley spent more than an hour cutting away the roof and prising out the front of the vehicle to free the officer, who is believed to have broken legs.

Station officer Jeff Glover said when they arrived the officer was being treated by paramedics.

"The other officer had tried to get him out but without success. He was well trapped. He was conscious and the paramedics put a collar on him and gave him a painkiller while we worked.

"We couldn't get to the driver's side because it was close to a wall so we removed the roof and lifted him out after rolling back the dashboard."

The crash happened at about 1.30am.