A fundraising page set up for a police constable who is facing “life-changing injuries” after he was run over by a suspected car thief has reached its initial target of £10,000.

Pc Gareth Phillips has undergone surgery for his injuries but he remains seriously ill and could be in hospital for several months, West Midlands Police said.

Colleagues have set up a Just Giving page to support his family through the “difficult times that are to follow”.

Police officer ran over in Birmingham
Police officers swarmed around a suspect during the incident last weekend (@imjustbrum/PA)

More than 600 people have donated money to the page, which has now revised its target to £15,000.

The 42-year-old officer was injured during a traffic stop in Birmingham on Saturday after his police car had been stolen.

Pc Phillips was then involved in a collision with his vehicle and at one point was pinned beneath the BMW car.

Mubashar Hussain appeared in court charged with the traffic officer’s attempted murder following the incident, which occurred in Moorcroft Road at about 4.45pm on Saturday.

The 29-year-old has been charged with a total of 13 offences after his arrest in the nearby Sparkbrook area of the city.

Hussain, formerly of Sherwood Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, is alleged to have caused serious injury by dangerous driving, dangerous driving on the city’s A41 Warwick Road, and wounding another police officer who suffered a cut arm.

He is accused of taking the police BMW without the owner’s consent and driving it without a licence.

Hussain is further accused of four counts of assaulting other constables, driving while disqualified and two car thefts.