TWO men are in hospital with serious injuries after a crash involving a taxi and an ambulance on its way to an emergency.

Paramedics from the ambulance treated the 52-year-old taxi driver and his 26-year-old passenger at the scene of the crash at 2.19am today at the junction of Trinity Street and Newport Street.

The driver, who was suffering abdominal and spinal injuries, and the passenger, who was suffering neck and spinal injuries, were then taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital by another ambulance.

Firefighters from Bolton Central spent an hour at the scene cutting the two men from the taxi, a Toyota Avensis.

The two paramedics from the crashed ambulance had minor injuries but were said to be suffering from shock. A spokesman for the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) said another ambulance was despatched to attend the original emergency, an assault, after the first ambulance crashed.

He also confirmed the ambulance had its blue lights flashing at the time of the incident.

The two paramedics, who were given a precautionary check-up in hospital, have now been discharged with only minor injuries.

The ambulance was left with minor damage and was expected to be back on the road soon after checks for any further issues. The emergency vehicle had been despatched to what the ambulance service described as a "low-level assault".

Newport Street was shut for several hours after the crash, which is now being investigated by police.

Both the driver of the taxi and the ambulance were breathalysed at the scene, but The Bolton News understands there is nothing to indicate the accident was caused by dangerous or neglectful driving from either vehicle.

Tony McKenna, the white watch manager from Bolton Central fire station, said: “We were called to the scene to extricate the taxi driver and passenger, who were both suffering suspected spinal injuries, from the vehicle."

A pedestrian crossing was damaged in the crash and left with wires exposed but this has now been fixed by an electrician.