Britain's Chris Rawlinson pulled up injured as Frenchman Stephane Diagana was crowned European 400metres hurdles champion in Munich on Friday.

Commonwealth champion Rawlinson, wearing a bandage on an injured right knee, stopped after just three hurdles and was clearly in pain.

The Rotherham-born runner dropped to the floor as former world champion Diagana went on to win in 47.58seconds just days after his wife had a baby boy.

Jiri Muzik of the Czech Republic was second in 48.43secs with defending champion Pawel Januszewski of Poland taking the bronze in 48.46.

Rawlinson, second on the European lists, had gone into the championship hoping to add to the Games gold he won in Manchester despite having incurred a bout of food poisoning beforehand.

But the 30-year-old's hopes were hit when he complained of a knee problem after last night's semi-final and he was already falling behind when he dropped out of the race.

Rawlinson received attention to the knee on the track as Diagana, who crashed out four years ago in the semi-finals, celebrated his triumph.

``I am not over the moon about this,'' said Rawlinson. ``I thought it would be okay. But I could not shake it off.''

Rawlinson missed the 1999 worlds when injured but did not make the final at the 2000 Olympics while in last year's worlds he finished fifth.