If you're going to lend your brand new top-of-the-range Volkswagen Golf R to anyone then a safe bet would be the police. Trained in high speed driving, pushing cars to the limit is part of their job description after all. Unfortunately for VW, the boys-in-blue in Manchester, UK, managed to turn a brand new hot hatch (bizarrely described as a 'supercar' in the British press) into a mangled wreck. Thankfully they had the car insured.

The car was loaned to the police in order for officers to get a feel for it, before they decided whether to invest in a few models or not. Apparently the £40,000 car was taken for a spin at 2 am in icy conditions and after skidding at a roundabout, the unfortunate officer lost control and had to be rescued by firefighters. A senior source said: 'The car was being tested and it went horribly wrong. Police do use public roads to test vehicles - the risk is reduced by the location and the time when this is done." This time, things didn't go quite to plan.

It isn't known how fast he was driving but the most powerful and fastest-accelerating Golf ever produced is capable of 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds and a limited top speed of 155mph. The officer, who works for a unit that patrols car crime hotspots, suffered spinal injuries but has been discharged from hospital; he has also been suspended from his driving duties. It is not yet known whether the force will buy and Golf R models. Photos courtesy of manchester evening news - menmedia.co.uk