A CHINESE man who had his leg broken after apparently being run over by a car has been unable to give police details of his ordeal because he can barely speak English.

The man dialled 999 on Thursday night and officers believe he was trying to explain that he had been kidnapped.

He said he got into a car in Pickup Street, Blackburn but detectives investigating the incident say they do not know at this stage whether it was of his own free will.

An interpreter arrived at Royal Blackburn Hospital late yesterday to speak to the man.

Doctors were due to carry out an emergency operation on his severely damaged leg last night.

Sergeant Julie Peters of Blackburn CID said: "The Chinese man is currently in hospital awaiting surgery after suffering a serious injury to his leg.

"There has been an incident involving a vehicle but it is not clear at this stage exactly what has happened.

"The man doesn't speak English.

"And we have not been able to speak to him yet because of his injuries and he is in quite a lot of pain.

"We don't know whether it is a kidnapping, as it seems like there has been some kind of car accident. We are not sure whether he has got into the car of his own free will.

"It seems he has somehow been run over by a car."

Police have arrested two men in connection with the incident.

The men were being quizzed by officers yesterday.