A police officer is in hospital after being shot in the foot in Nottingham in the early hours of Sunday.

Nottinghamshire police said the officer had approached two suspects in the city centre when he was struck by a bullet. The force said the two suspects, a woman and a man, fled the scene and were being sought by police.

The firearm was recovered and a large crime scene is in place around Angel Row in the heart of the city after the incident at 4.50am.

Assistant chief constable, Claire Rukas, said: “This is a shocking incident and a sobering reminder of the potential dangers faced by officers as they work to protect and serve the public.

“As we investigate what happened and work to apprehend the individuals involved, my thoughts today are with the injured officer, his family and colleagues.

“I also ask that anyone with additional information shares this with us without delay. Even the smallest bit of information could make all the difference to this investigation.”

A team of forensics experts were working within the police cordon on Sunday morning, sectioning off a large part of the city centre occupied by pubs, bars and takeaways.

Curtis Jackson, 22, who said he had moved to the UK from the US only recently, told the Nottingham Post he felt “quite worried to be in the city at night”. He said: “My thoughts go out to the police officer, this is really a terrible incident. It’s a scary thought that on a Saturday night, when most people go out to have a fun night, someone was in town with a gun ready to use it.”

Another person, who gave her name only as Melissa, told the newspaper: “Incidents like this just amplify the feeling I have, I don’t feel safe in the city at all and when it’s dark any more.

“I know police do all they can, but they can’t be everywhere and it feels like scary incidents are becoming all too common nowadays.”