Essex Road crash: Fifth arrest after car 'ploughs into revellers outside Islington Pub'

A fifth person has been arrested after a car allegedly ploughed into a group of people queuing outside a pub in Islington on Saturday night.

Witnesses described their horror and panic when a car swerved around the corner and crashed into people waiting outside the Old Queen’s Head on Essex Road.

The driver and passenger in the car fled on foot but were chased by officers, who arrested four men at the scene.

And police announced on Sunday evening that a fifth male was arrested on Sunday afternoon in connection with the incident.

All five suspects – arrested on suspicion of a variety of offences including GBH and possession of a weapon – have been detained in police custody.

Police confirmed the incident - which happened days after a car mounted a pavement in the deadly terror attack on Westminster - was not being treated as terror-related.

One shocked witness described seeing a “handful of casualties and a very large knife” in the chaos.

Another told the MailOnline described that people were “knocked over like dominoes” when the vehicle careered around the bend.

She said: “There were about twenty people in the queue and I was at the back with my friends.

“The car came screeching round the corner at about 50mph and was coming straight for me.

“I pushed over the barriers and fell to the floor as the car smashed into three people in front of me. They were knocked over like dominoes.”

A Metropolitan Police statement explained officers had been in the vicinity of the crash after being called to reports of an attempted robbery in Cross Street just before 11pm.

“Having arrived on the scene officers found that any suspects had fled the area but remained and began searching,” the statement said.

“Shortly after 11pm officers a vehicle collided with four people outside a pub in nearby Essex Road in the immediate vicinity where police were searching.

“Police officers responded and began administering first aid until the arrival of London Ambulance Service.”

Three people - two women and one man – were rushed to hospital and a fourth person was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Two of the injured parties remain in hospital but their injuries are not being treated as life threatening.

Four of the men arrested are between 17 and 19-years-old. Details of the fifth arrest have not yet been released.

Superintendent Peter Gardner said: "This is a complicated incident involving a number of suspects.

“We know that a group of people were outside the busy pub in a popular part of London at the time of the collision. If you were there or saw anything in and around the area at the time, however insignificant you may feel it is, I would urge you to contact investigators.

"I would like to praise the actions of our officers who dealt with a traumatic incident and displayed remarkable courage and professionalism.”

The incident has been referred to the Met’s professional standard’s agency, the Directorate of Professional Standards, for review due to the fact that officers were in the vicinity of the crash when it happened.

“I would also reassure our community that due to this serious collision happening in the vicinity or our officers, it is only right that the Met's professional standards officers look at the circumstances,” Superintendent Gardner added.

"Lastly, I would like to absolutely reassure residents that this incident was in no way terrorist related."

Any witnesses or anyone with information can contact Central North Area CID via 101 or to give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.