A 44-year-old police officer has been suspended following a road collision in Nicosia on Thursday after testing positive for alcohol, with criminal and disciplinary investigations now underway.

The suspension was ordered by Deputy Police Chief Panikos Stavrou after the officer, off duty at the time, was involved in a three-vehicle collision at the Nicosia general hospital roundabout.

According to police, the 44-year-old was driving his vehicle when, under circumstances still being investigated, he collided with a car driven by a 43-year-old woman.

The impact pushed the woman’s vehicle into another car driven by a 38-year-old man.

The collision caused the vehicles driven by the officer and the woman to burst into flames, while the third vehicle sustained damage to its rear.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, while ambulances transported all three drivers to the nearby Nicosia general hospital, where they received first aid treatment.

Police said breathalyser tests were carried out on all three drivers, with the 44-year-old recording a final reading of 59 micrograms, well above the legal limit of 22 micrograms.

A further check found that the officer had been driving without a valid MOT certificate.