SUSPECTED armed robbers have been arrested after a getaway car crashed.

A cash box was stolen from a security van outside Barclays Bank in Beehive Lane, Gants Hill by a gang of men at around 10am this morning.

The robbers are believed to have then left the scene in a red Peugeot 206 towards Chigwell Road in South Woodford, where the vehicle collided with a van near the junction with Raven Road.

Eyewitness Emre Taner of JJ Autos in Raven Road said it looked like the passenger of the car was thrown through the windscreen and was told he had suffered multiple broken bones.

He added: "Saw one fella run off down Chigwell Road with two officers in hot pursuit. Got told he was bitten a few times by the police dog.

"Two other guys were stuck in the vehicle. It was a bit of a commotion out there.

"It looked like they had lost control as they came off Charlie Brown's roundabout and crashed into the van."

It is not known if there any other injuries.

The van involved in the crash was owned by D P Leake television repair shop in High Road, Woodford Green.

Driver of the van Jimmy McClean and his passenger Timmy Hurst were both taken to hospital as a precaution.

Eddie Butcher of D P Leake said: "Jimmy was complaining of a terrible pain in his ribs.

"The fridge in the back of the van was dented everywhere and the van is a write off.

"Our friends at Broadway Music are now helping us out with the deliveries."

The cash box was recovered from the car.

The other vehicle was a white Fiat Punto.