A 17-year-old boy is fighting for life and an 18-year-old is critically injured after a police pursuit ended in a horror crash overnight.
Greater Manchester Police said the incident began when police observed a 'suspicious vehicle' close to Mauldeth Road West in Withington.
The green Ford Focus failed to stop and there was a short police pursuit which ended when the Focus collided with a taxi at the junction with Yew Tree Road.
The driver of the taxi suffered minor injuries while the passenger suffered serious, but non life-threatening injuries.
A 17-year-old boy who was in the Focus is currently in a critical and life-threatening condition in hospital.
An 18-year-old boy is in a critical, but non life-threatening condition, police said.
The driver of the Focus made off from the scene on foot and his whereabouts remain unknown.
An eyewitness told the M.E.N they saw police chasing someone down an alley shortly after the crash which happened at around 3.45am this morning (WEDS).
An officer also got glass in his eye during the subsequent rescue with emergency services, police added.
He remains in a stable condition.
All casualties were taken to hospital for treatment.
No arrests have been made.
GMP has referred the matter to the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and an investigation is underway.
GMP's Chief Superintendent Wasim Chaudhry said: "Our thoughts are with those affected.
"We will not be commenting any further and will be fully cooperating with the independent investigation by the IOPC."
The M.E.N understands a police dog handler in a van was involved in the pursuit.
A spokesman for the IOPC said: "We can confirm we are independently investigating a collision on Yew Tree Road, in Fallowfield.
"We attended the scene and post incident procedures following a mandatory referral from Greater Manchester Police this morning."
A Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service (GMFRS) spokesperson said: "Just before 4am today, Wednesday 31 March, two fire engines from Moss Side and Withington stations, and the Technical Response Unit from Ashton, attended a road traffic collision on Mauldeth Road West in Manchester.
"Firefighters were quickly on the scene and used hydraulic cutting equipment to help three people from the vehicles involved. Four casualties were taken to hospital by colleagues from North West Ambulance Service (NWAS).
"GMFRS left after around an hour."
