A POLICE officer was taken to hospital with a suspected broken hand after a violent scuffle outside a busy west Wiltshire bar.

Pc Stuart Johnson was taken to the Royal United Hospital, Bath after struggling with a suspect outside the Chicago Rock Caf, Trowbridge, on Saturday night.

An x-ray was taken after swelling on his hand went down, but showed a bone between his thumb and wrist was not broken as first feared.

Officers were called to the Park Road venue at 11.30pm when doormen called in police to help remove a drunken customer.

Detectives said the man confronted officers as they tried to escort him from the premises.

It took seven officers and doormen to get the man into a police car, during which a pair of handcuffs placed on him were snapped off.

The suspect was taken to Melksham police station for questioning.

Detective Constable Alan Hardman said security tapes had been seized from the club and from the town council controlled CCTV camera system to help establish what happened.

Witnesses are still being interviewed, including doormen working at Chicago Rock Caf on the night.

Inspector Glynn Hookings said Pc Johnson could be off duty for up to a week, but it could be even longer before he returns to full service.

"He was injured last year during an assault so he has aggravated the old injury," he said.

"He is hoping to be back even if it is on a restricted basis next week.

"Officers get a lot of training in safety tactics but they are still vulnerable, as this incident shows, when they are carrying out their duties and making arrests."

l A 22-year-old Warminster man was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly and assaulting a police officer.