A 35-year-old garda has been injured after his motorcycle was rammed by a stolen van on the outskirts of Cork city this morning.

The van was being pursued by gardaí at the time.

Two men in their 20s have been arrested and are being held at Gurranabraher Garda Station.

The incident began when gardaí spotted a van, which had been stolen yesterday, in Douglas outside Cork city at about 8.30am.

It is understood that the white Peugeot van was used as the getaway vehicle following an early morning raid at the Vienna Woods Hotel in Glanmire.

When gardaí went to stop the van, it took off at speed and drove through the city centre.

After it rammed a garda van and other vehicles near Merchants Quay, a number of garda road blocks were put in place.

The van drove along the quays, over Brian Boru bridge, up Summerhill North, heading for the Old Mallow Road.

It was pursued by gardaí out the Mallow Road and the van managed to evade a number of garda stingers.

The van travelled from the Old Mallow Road to the new Mallow Road.

A garda motorcyclist who was diverting traffic away from the stolen vehicle had his motorcycle rammed into.

He suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries and is being treated at Cork University Hospital.

The stolen van proceeded in the wrong direction along the dual carriageway heading towards the city.

It turned off for Blarney and was eventually intercepted close to Killeens.

A man was arrested in the van and a second man, believed to be the driver, was arrested close by a short time later.

A quantity of stolen property was also recovered from the van.