AN elderly couple had a miraculous escape after their car spun off the road and into some bushes in Holcombe Brook.

Emergency services vehicles were scrambled to the scene of the crash, opposite the Hare and Hounds pub, in Bolton Road West shortly after 8pm last night.

It is believed that the car the couple, both of whom were in their 80s, were travelling in lost control before taking out a traffic light and careering into the bushes.

After witnessing the incident, an off-duty paramedic who lived nearby rushed to the scene and managed to free the male driver, but his wife remained trapped in the vehicle.

Firefighters from Bury, Ramsbottom, as well as technical rescue units, were sent to the scene in a bid to free her.

Crews used specialist equipment to free the elderly woman, before she and her husband were taken to Salford Royal Hospital for further treatment.

The couple are thought to have escaped with only minor injuries.

A number of police cars and ambulances were also spotted at the scene.

Crew manager Saul Hickey said: "I do not know exactly what happened, but they flew over the road and had taken out some traffic lights and were trapped in the bushes.

"Our technical rescue unit provided a specialist platform so we were able to get up to the driver's side and extricate the woman on a board.

"Both of their injuries appeared minor but it did leave potentially live electric because of the traffic lights.

"They had a lucky escape because of the bushes and the way it landed.

"We would like to thank the off-duty paramedic for his swift and professional actions."

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police added: "We were called at just before 8pm to reports of a collision involving a car and a bush at the junction of Bolton Road West and Longsight Road.

"The couple suffered minor injuries and ambulance attended."