Four teenagers were trapped in a burning car after a crash yesterday, with the air ambulance called into action to help get them to safety.

The collision happened at around 2pm on Tuesday afternoon when a car hit a tree and caught fire on Colliers Row Road in Smithhills, Bolton.

Firefighters, police officers and paramedics rushed to the scene to rescue the four trapped youngsters.

A fire service spokesman said: "It was a road traffic collision, the fire service was deployed and there were a lot of members of the public on the scene at the time.

“They actually helped the four people, there were four teenagers in the car, get to safety.”

Police closed the road while firefighters worked to get the four young people to safety.

Three of them were injured, with two taken to hospital by road and one by air.

The fire service spokesman reminded the public of the importance of driving safely and to suit the conditions.

A North West Ambulance Service spokesperson added: “We have responded to a single-vehicle road traffic collision, the 999 call came in at 2.11pm.

“Three patients have been taken to hospital. Two by road one by air.”