Specialist police rescued a woman in Thornton Heath after she was seen being forced in to a car near Croydon University hospital at lunchtime today (Tues).

The woman’s terrifying ordeal began was abducted against her will in Broughton Road at 1.37pm on Tuesday.

Police launched an immediate investigation and the woman was found over a mile away at a terraced house in Westbrook Road.

A man was arrested on suspicion of kidnap and taken into custody. He was further arrested for a dangerously out of control dog after a police officer was bitten on the thigh.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “Enquiries are ongoing. The woman and the man are believed to be known to each other.”

Westbrook Road was already closed off because of existing utility works until the end of the month but eye witnesses reported seeing a marked police car following an unmarked police car in to the road at 4.15pm.

The marked car turned its sirens off as it approached the road.

Later, multiple police cars were still in the road at 6.30pm and officers were standing in the doorway of a terraced house.