A MAN has died after a horrific crash in the early hours of the morning.

The victim, who was in his 40s, was freed from a vehicle by firefighters and taken to Salford Royal Hospital where he later died. 

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The crash, between a black Chevrolet Matiz and a silver BMW Five Series, happened in Tonge Moor Road close to the junction with Matalan and the Arc car wash just after 5am today.

It is not clear which car the dead man had been travelling in. Two people, a 34-year-old man and a woman were arrested on suspicion of drink driving and causing death by dangerous driving. 

Neighbours have spoken of their shock. Rebecca Hepworth, aged 39, heard a noise and called police when she saw the crash from the window of her home in Tonge Moor Road. 

Ms Hepworth, said: “It was around 5am. There was an almighty bang. I didn’t know what it was. It sounded like a truck had hit something. It was very, very loud.

“I looked out of the window and there were two cars with steam or smoke coming out of their engines. That’s what panicked me. I rang the police and the ambulance service because no one was getting out.

“Another guy stopped with a high-vis vest on. I would say he was going to work. I think he did a lot of helping.

“I couldn’t believe how loud it was. You knew something had happened, it couldn’t have been anything normal. This was something else.”

She added: “I don’t know how it happened but both cars were both facing the same direction.”

The Bolton News: CLOSED: Tonge Moor Road has been shut in both directions. Picture by Google Maps

The emergency services were called at around 5.25am and police closed Tonge Moor Road in both directions from the junction with Thicketford Street, by The Starkie Arms, to Turton Street.

The morning traffic into Bolton was diverted along Ainsworth Lane and many commuters experienced delays. 

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Tony Godfrey, aged 36, was waiting for a bus in Tonge Moor Road when the crash happened. 

He said: “The impact was like an explosion. All the people at the bus stop froze. I walked over but I realised there was nothing I could do.

Someone was on the phone to the police, and within minutes they were here.”

Anderson Riley, who also lives in Tonge Moor Road, saw the 34-year-old man being arrested. 

He said: “He was handcuffed right there in the middle of the road, outside my house.

“We were up at about 6.20am because my girlfriend was getting ready for work.

“I opened the blinds and saw the police outside. Then I opened the door and saw it all.

“I had to see if we could go up the road. We were told it could be four or five hours.

“The man who was arrested didn’t look injured but he looked a bit dazed.

“It was a bit of a shock when I walked out and the police were here and the road closed off.

The road was closed while officers investigated the scene and recovered the two vehicles onto separate lorries.

Council staff arrived afterwards to clean the road and pedestrians were allowed through the cordon using one pavement. At 11.15am, the road was reopened to traffic.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident number 242 of Monday, August 7, 2017 or to call Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.