A woman threw herself into the Regent’s Canal after police found an abandoned car that had been driven along the towpath near Queensbridge Road.

Ham & High: The driver attempted to drive on the River Lea towpath. Picture: Hackney PoliceThe driver attempted to drive on the River Lea towpath. Picture: Hackney Police (Image: Archant)

Officers were called to the scene, near the Pownall Road junction, at 5am on Wednesday after reports of a car smashing into a wall.

On arrival they found the badly damaged black Alfa Romeo Mito on the towpath and began searching the area for the driver. A woman was seen nearby and jumped into the water after seeing the uniformed officers, before being rescued and treated by medics.

A 29-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of drink drive and taken to a north London police station where she remains.

The bizarre incident came 24 hours after police spotted a man driving a moped with a 55in TV strapped to the back with Sellotape.