A policeman was saved by his sturdy bobby's boots when a runaway driver dragged him 400 yards along a road.

Sergeant Dave Tye was leaning in the car's open window when the driver suddenly screeched off at 30mph, aiming for a row of parked cars.

Sgt Tye clung on to the side of the moving vehicle before flinging himself to safety as it careered around a bend.

Miraculously, he escaped with just cuts, bruising and a fractured ankle.

He was treated in hospital and returned home last night to be with his wife and child.

He described his horror slide as like "water-skiing on tarmac".

Police said Sgt Tye spotted the man sitting in a Peugeot 405 estate with a woman in Trenches Road, Crowborough, at 10.30pm on Wednesday night.

He went over to talk to him about a separate matter, leaning inside the driver's open window, when the car pulled away.

The driver steered the Peugeot into a row of parked cars before heading into Queen's Road.

Sgt Tye let go some 400 yards later at the junction of Church Road with Queen's Road, when he was certain he would not fall under the wheels of the car.

Superintendent Ken Probert, based in Eastbourne, said: "I think he was so surprised he just hung on to anything he could.

"His words to me were that it was like water-skiing."

Officers investigating the incident said yesterday a man had contacted them claiming he was responsible and promised to give himself up.

Mr Probert said: "It doesn't need me to say this is someone who was prepared to drive a police officer deliberately at some vehicles.

"It's a very dangerous step to take and could have resulted in very serious consequences. I consider him a danger and I would want to find him very quickly."

An incident room has been set up in Eastbourne and an investigation, codenamed Operation Iberia, has been launched.

Sgt Tye's dramatic escape brought back memories of the death of PC Jeff Tooley, who was killed when he was hit by a van in Shoreham in April 1999 while carrying out speed checks.

PC Tooley's mother Veronica, from Bognor, mounted a successful campaign to increase prison sentences for those convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.

Sgt Tye, in his 30s, was transferred from the Eastbourne station to Hailsham several years ago following a promotion. He joined the Crowborough division last summer.

Police are appealing for witnesses and anyone who has information about the driver or the whereabouts of the car.

The dark blue car has the registration G156 VKR. The driver was described as a white man in his early 30s, with short, light-coloured hair.

Contact Eastbourne CID on 0845 6070999.