A police helicopter preparing to take off from a road in a Brazilian city was seriously damaged, and two of its occupants were injured, when a passing lorry came too close and collided with its blades.

Footage shows the chopper on the ground with its blades whirring in the Second District of Rio Branco, in the northwestern state of Acre – when a white truck turns a corner and tries to go past the aircraft.

Seconds later, a terrible sound is heard as the blades crash against the side of the lorry – ripping off its roof and leaving the rotor wings bent out of shape.

Startled motorists stop and gaze in astonishment as debris is left scattered all around the street – from both the lorry and helicopter, which belongs to the Integrated Centre of Aerial Operations (CIOPAER) of the Military Police.

Colonel Oliveira, from the Acre Military Police, said there were five people in the helicopter at the time – two commanders and three members of the crew.

He added: ‘Two crew members had light injuries and were taken for treatment’ and are now ‘well’.

The lorry was being used by the Secretary of State for Health’s office to transport hospital waste.

Charles Matos, a manager for the company which the lorry belongs to, said none of the three people in the vehicle were injured.

The tribulations of operating a fleet of vehicles to pick up and ship healthcare wastes are legion, but crikey this is surely a new one!