A CAR drove the wrong way along one of Bolton's busiest roads before smashing into oncoming traffic and leaving five people injured.

A vehicle was seen driving the wrong way down the northbound carriageway of St Peter's Way before careering into two other vehicles.

The smash happened at about 8pm on the A666, near to the Trinity Retail Park and involved at least three cars, including a Land Rover, a Seat Leon and a Ford.

It is believed five people were injured in the incident, to varying degrees, but none are thought to be life threatening.

Eyewitness Sophie Rawlinson, 23 from Harwood, said she and her brother Brian Rawlinson and sister-in-law Charlie Mooney helped some people injured at the scene.

She said: “We were just getting in the car at Toys r Us when we heard what sounded like a grenade going off.

“My brother ran across the car park and embankment to help, my sister in law also ran over and took her coat off to wrap up a male involved and put him in the recovery position, she was also keeping him talking until emergency services arrived.”

Sophie said one of the cars came driving the wrong way down the carriageway and ploughed into oncoming traffic.

She said her brother checked to make sure people were not trapped in the cars and was with one of the drivers, who was conscious but not responding.

She added: “I am very, very shocked that nobody died in the crash," adding that one of the vehicles was ‘smashed to pieces.’

The road remains closed and police are diverting people away from the scene.

Police at the scene said a number of people have been taken to hospital with various injuries, none thought to be life-threatening.  

Officers believe one of the cars was being driven the wrong way down the carriageway. 

The father of a young woman who was travelling in the Land Rover said her daughter and a friend were not harmed in the crash.

He said: "She is obviously very shaken up but she is ok.

"It looks like a car has come driving the wrong way along the road and crashed into them."

Fire crew manager Chris Wilcox from Bolton Fire Station confirmed that there were five people injured, with three being taken to hospital initially.

He said: "Everyone was out of the cars when we arrived, so we admistered trauma care.

"From what we saw i don't believe any of the injuries were life threatening."