THE taxi driver involved in a 'heart-breaking' crash which has left a woman fighting for her life has spoken of his shock and anger.

Sajid Butt was taking three women home to Stoneclough from a night out in Bolton when his Peugeot collided with another car in Bolton as he was driving on to the A666 slip road.

The force of the collision flung two of the passengers through the taxi window and the driver of the other car, a blue Ford Focus, fled the scene.

In the moments after the crash in the early hours of Sunday morning Mr Butt called the police and passers-by came running to help.

The 45-year-old hackney cab driver from Great Lever said: "It was very, very scary. Everything changed in a minute.

"I had seen the car far away and the filter light came on and I drove out. With high speed he hit the back passenger side.

"It happened so quickly. I remember hitting my head on the side of the door.

"The first thing I thought was we needed help and phoned the police and said bring an ambulance.

"I also asked someone to check my passengers, but he said 'there's one girl here'.

"Two of the girls had gone through the window when the car spun. I don't know how it happened.

"They had been on a nice night out and were just going back home. I hope they are okay."

Mr Butt, who has been working as a taxi driver in Bolton for the past 14 years, was on his last job of the night when he picked up the women, who are in their early 30s, from Bradshawgate.

They asked to be dropped off in Farnworth and Stoneclough, and his white Peugeot Expert E7 was turning on to the slip road towards St Peter's Way at 3.10am.

Shortly before the collision, at around 3am the Ford was seen driving erratically around Trinity Way and Bridgeman Street area in Bolton.

The force of the crash caused the taxi to spin around, finishing up in the wrong direction on the slip road, while the front of the Ford was crushed.

The driver was seen abandoning the car and leaving the scene on foot.

The two women thrown from the taxi suffered serious head and spinal injuries. The other suffered neck and spinal injuries.

One woman remains in a critical condition.

Firefighters from Bolton were on the scene and the women and Mr Butt were treated by paramedics before being taken to hospital.

He added: "I am angry. Sometimes people make mistakes, but people were injured badly and they needed help.

"There is something very wrong if you leave people very badly injured and run off."

Bradford Street was closed for more than six hours between Castle Street and Bridgeman Place, including the A666 slip roads.

Police are appealing for the driver of the car to come forward.

Three women seriously injured in crash in Bolton

PC Paul Shore, Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “My thoughts are with the three women who were in the taxi last night and their families, it is heart breaking when innocent people are caught up in collisions in this way.

“It is vital that the driver hands himself in to police as soon as possible. They know who they are, and they know it is the right thing to do.

“I would urge anyone with information about what happened or who believes they know who the driver of the Ford Focus is to come forward to police to help the investigation. We would also like to hear from anyone who may have dash-cam footage of the blue Ford Focus in the Trinity Way and Bridgeman Street areas of Bolton, before the collision happened.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101, Crimestoppers 0800 555111 or the Serious Collision Unit on 0161 856 4741.