Line of Duty stars Martin Compston and Vicky McClure filmed a dramatic car crash in Belfast on Sunday, as work on the long-awaited seventh series resumed.

Filming for the new run of episodes was halted earlier this month after Belfast suffered nights of riots and social unrest following the stabbing of Stephen Ogilvie.

But Martin and Vicky were back on set to film a tense siege on Corporation Street, with both stars armed with huge guns for filming.

The pair were amongst the team involved in the smash which saw their police vehicle and another vehicle flipped on their side.

Star Adrian Dunbar, who plays Superintendent Hastings, had confirmed this week they were forced to stop filming due to the riots in the Northern Irish capital.

Stephen was left with serious injuries after being stabbed in Belfast on June 8.

Sudanese asylum seeker Hadi Alodid has since been charged with attempted murder and possession of a knife, as well as a separate charge of making threats to kill an NHS radiographer.

Riots consumed the city in the days after the attack, and its residents were terrorised by thugs, while terrified students fled Belfast after homes were named on a rioters' 'hit list' in the wake of the alleged knife attack.

Adrian shared that the conflict led bosses to pause Line Of Duty filming, telling RTE Radio 1: 'We did have to pause for that, which... That wasn't great.

'There's a lot of stuff being stirred up in Ireland I think from outside of the country at the minute. And I think a lot of social media stirred a lot of pots here, and a lot of idle hands sitting around were able to get on the street. 

'I think the demonstration that happened a few days later by the people of Belfast shows you what the real sentiment in Belfast is towards immigrants. This is a small minority of people who are allowed to get on the street, so it was really unfortunate.'

Cast-members Vicky, Martin and Adrian are currently shooting new scenes as AC-12, some five years after an anti-climactic sixth series divided viewers.

Fans were largely disappointed by the controversial ending, during which bumbling Det Supt Ian Buckells, played by Nigel Boyle, was unmasked as 'H' - the shadowy criminal mastermind behind an intricate network of police corruption.

But in recent weeks, creator Jed Mercurio has given fans a taste of what to expect from the seventh series.

Taking to Instagram earlier this year, Jed shared a shot of Dunbar, dressed in full police uniform, looking out across a busy office as he prepared to film his latest scenes as Superintendent Ted Hastings.

'There's only one thing I'm interested in and one thing only and that's bent coppers,' read an accompanying caption - one of Hastings' best known quotes.

The popular police drama originally aired on BBC Two, before moving to BBC One from its fourth series onwards.

In February, it was revealed that BAFTA-winning star Robert Carlyle had been cast as guest character Detective Constable Shaun Massie.

Series seven of Line Of Duty will follow the familiar faces of AC-12 after it has been disbanded and rebranded as the Inspectorate of Police Standards.

The anti-corruption unit will be seen working harder than ever as Steve Arnott, Kate Fleming, and Ted Hastings are assigned their most sensitive case so far.

The synopsis teases: 'Detective Constable Shaun Massie is a Specialist Rifle Officer (SRO), a veteran marksman, operating with Tactical Operations Unit 7 (TO-7) to take down Organised Crime Groups.

'A gruff loner, Massie keeps himself to himself, but when his boss, TO-7's commanding officer DI Dominic Gough, is accused of being a sexual predator, Massie's otherwise detached demeanour changes drastically.'

Line Of Duty series seven is expected to air in 2027.