A PENSIONER "left for dead" in a horror car crash has thanked the "kindness of strangers" who went to her aid.

The 78-year-old driver praised the actions and care of bystanders and other motorists, as well as the emergency services, who helped following the collision on December 1.

Daughter Lynne Povey said: "She wanted to dwell on the overwhelming kindness of strangers she had received.

"She said you always hear about the bad people but not about the ordinary people who go to all this trouble."

Her mother, who did not wish to be named, was on her way to exercise at David Lloyd Gym and was driving along Chorley New Road when a car rammed hers from behind at high speed at 11am.

The widow's maroon Ford Ka was shunted into bollards and it spun around, trapping her inside.

Mrs Povey said: "She was released from her car by Rob and Joanne from Shaw and Son funeral directors, who were nearby, and Liam, the MD of Kwik Pick locksmiths.

"It's a blur for her but they took her out of her car, which was quite mangled, mainly on the passenger side rather than the driver's side luckily.

"They sat with her while the ambulance came and were wonderful."

The pensioner's car was left a wreck and had to be written off.

She escaped without injury but was badly shaken.

Mrs Povey said: "Paramedics took her home and stayed with her until she was calm and then asked if there was anything they could do.

"She didn't know what to do about the car so they sorted out the insurance claim and phoned the DVLA.

"Not a single piece of paperwork was left for her to do and they even phoned Age Concern.

"That sort of help is priceless. Mum said they took the burden off her shoulders.

"She received flowers from Shaw Funerals the next day with a note hoping she was feeling better."

Officers from the police's serious collision investigation unit are investigating the crash, which happened at the town centre end of Chorley New Road, close to where the victim lives and was witnessed by many passing drivers.

Mrs Povey, of Ascot, Surrey, said: "The person didn't even stop and I think that's despicable. This chap left her for dead."

She added: "I hear a lot about my old home town and it's usually negative.

"It's very comforting to know ordinary folk in quite a working class bit of Bolton are very caring — they didn't just do the bare minimum, they went beyond the call of duty."