THE husband of a woman injured when suspected carjackers smashed into her car during a high speed police chase has told how he feels sympathy with the men who caused the accident.

Paul Adamson raced to Salford Royal Hospital after hearing how his wife Heidi had been hurt in the crash in Darwen Road, Bromley Cross, on Tuesday morning.

Following reports of a carjacking in Trinity Street, police chased a Mini to Bromley Cross, where it ploughed into a Parcel Force van and flipped onto the roof of the Ford Focus being driven by Mrs Adamson.

Police said the driver of a Mini had been earlier threatened with an iron bar and dragged from the vehicle.

The two men who were alleged to have been in the car that was chased by police have been arrested on suspicion of robbery.

A 25-year-old man, thought to be the driver, was airlifted to hospital, where he remains, with serious head injuries, although they are not thought to be life-threatening.

A 22-year-old man, believed to be his passenger, was also taken to Salford Royal Hospital with minor injuries.

The pair were joined at the hospital by Mrs Adamson, who was kept there overnight after suffering elbow and knee injuries.

Mrs Adamson, aged 40, was driving to the doctor's when the Mini landed on her roof.

Mr Adamson said his wife heard an almighty crash, which was soon drowned out by screaming and shouting by the police officers who had jumped out of the chasing car.

Her injuries appear to be superficial, but she was kept in hospital for scans.

Mr Adamson said: "I feel sympathy for these people. I don't know what has gone on in their lives to lead them to this situation.

"Normal people who live a quiet life cannot understand what leads people to do things like this."

In a separate incident, a police community support officer suffered serious but non life-threatening injuries later in the day after he was hit by a car while guarding the scene of the crash.

The officer, thought to have been wearing a cycling helmet which reduced his injuries, is also recovering in hospital, having suffered a fractured pelvis, fractured coccyx and nerve damage in his hip.

The driver of a Ford Fiesta was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving.