11:38am Wednesday 14th May 2008
By Lucy Ewing
A TEENAGER who was involved in an horrific car accident says wearing a seatbelt saved her life.
Nicola Stott and her three friends, Rachael Waterworth, Jenny Howarth and Andrew Best, all aged 18, all from Blackrod, were travelling back from a night out in Bolton in the early hours of Saturday morning when their taxi was hit head-on by a car.
Nicola, of The Cheethams, Blackrod, said: "I remember an initial impact and thinking something had hit the car. We all screamed and asked each other what had happened. Then, it felt like we had smacked into something else and we realised we'd hit another car.
"I'm so glad I had a seatbelt on. It saved my life."
The Rivington and Blackrod High sixth form pupils were out in Bolton town centre celebrating after their leavers' party at the Last Drop Hotel in Bromley Cross.
They got into a taxi in Bradshawgate to go home to Blackrod. But at around 2.05am, as they were travelling along Deane Road, Deane, a Mitsubishi car crossed over to their side of the road and smashed into the taxi.
The three other passengers managed to get themselves out of the car but Nicola was trapped in her seat.
She said: "I remember being held into my seat by the seatbelt.
"Andrew tried to get me out and I fell on to the floor of the taxi. I couldn't get up, my back was hurting me. Then someone realised I had blood coming from just below my knee. Someone's stiletto heel had gone through my left shin and blood was pouring out but I couldn't even feel it because my back was so sore."
A passer-by who saw the incident stemmed the blood flow with Andrew's tie.
A-level student Nicola was cut from the taxi by firefighters and taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital where she had seven stitches in her leg. She was released several hours later, to recuperate at home.
The taxi driver, Sajid Butt from Great Lever, was also cut from the car and taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital.
Nicola, a trainee dance teacher at Theatre Dance School in Astley Bridge, said: "Even though the seatbelt crushed and bruised me it definitely saved me."
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said a 40-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of drink driving was released on police bail until June 19.
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