The prisoner, doing time for murder and sex crimes, was aided by two accomplices who were waiting for his arrival at Principe de Asturias hospital in the town of Alcalá de Henares, near Madrid.

Police believe the men were alerted by the prisoner’s family, who had previously received a call from Alcalá Meco penitentiary as required by Spanish protocol.

CCTV footage showed the criminal's two partners in crime in the hospital grounds prior to the prisoner’s arrival.

Their objective, as would soon become all too clear, was to distract the officers escorting the prisoner to allow the jailbird to fly free.

Once the prisoner had been uncuffed and had his arm put in plaster, the policemen accompanied him back to the police car parked outside the health centre.

But as soon as they stepped onto the hospital's emergency ramp they were faced with a brawl between the prisoner’s accomplices.

The officers at first hesitated and when they finally decided to intervene they were pushed to the ground by the two men.

The prisoner then hit the officers on the head with his plaster and escaped in a BMW that had pulled up right next to the scuffle.

A manhunt is now underway while the officers who accompanied the prisoner are being investigated.