10:13am UK, Wednesday May 21, 2008

A teenage girl who was about to sit a GCSE exam has been killed following a collision with a police car.

Police investigate at scene of crash

The 16-year-old was struck by the marked patrol car late at night in Newcastle.

Northumbria police named the victim as Hayley Adamson, a pupil due to sit her GCSEs at Sacred Heart High School, Newcastle.

The teenager, who lived with her mother in Fenham, Newcastle, celebrated her 16th birthday in March.

Chief Supt Paul Wier said an Independent Police Complaints Commission was under way.

He said: "An investigation is now under way into all the circumstances leading to this crash.

"The matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission and the IPCC are carrying out an assessment. We are fully assisting the IPCC.

"This is a tragedy and our thoughts are with the family at this time."

Chief Supt Wier appealed for calm in the wake of the accident.

He said: "We made a number of arrests for violent disorder in the immediate aftermath of the accident last night. People were throwing bricks and the situation was volatile.

"We've met with the community twice today to reassure them of the increased police presence on the streets and to appeal for calm and to ask that the IPCC investigators are allowed to go about their work unhindered."

He said he could not comment on the specifics of the accident as the matter was being investigated by the IPCC but confirmed the car, a Volvo T5 marked patrol car, was being driven by a lone officer.

He said the officer has gone off duty and will be investigated in due course.