A TEENAGER died after being thrown 20 feet from a car as it catapulted into the air and landed on its roof.

The 18-year-old from Bury was a back seat passenger in a Peugeot 106 GTi, which was being driven down Bradshaw Road by a friend.

He was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital with severe head injuries after the accident at 12.30am but died an hour later.

The 19-year-old driver, from Ramsbottom, had to be cut out of the car by firefighters.

An ambulance spokesman said he had several fingers amputated at the scene. He was taken to Bury's Fairfield Hospital.

A second passenger, aged 19, also from Bury, was treated for serious back injuries by paramedics. He was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital.

A police spokesman said the driver is believed to have been overtaking another vehicle when he lost control on a bend near the junction with Tottington Road.

The metallic-green Peugeot GTI hit an embankment, overturned and landed on its roof.

Paramedics found the back-seat passenger 20 feet away in the middle of the road.

The driver was conscious but firefighters had to use cutting equipment to free him because the doors and roof had been crushed.

Station officer Jim O'Byrne from Bolton Central Fire Station said: "It took us 10 minutes to get him out. The car was in such a state that we had to use cutting equipment to get him out.

"When we arrived the paramedics were treating one passenger who was half in and half out of the vehicle.

"Another passenger was lying in the road after being thrown from a window."

Two residents ran from their home at Toye Farm, off Bradshaw Road, to help the victims.

Stephen Kay, aged 20, had been travelling home from a night out in Bolton at around 1am, and was unable to get back to his home at Toye Farm, via his usual route. On arrival back at his home, he realised there had been a serious accident, and went in to tell his father Ian Kay.

Mr Kay and Stephen ran to the scene of the accident and saw a the car on its roof.

Mr Kay said: "The roof of the car had been pushed up to the top of the seats, it was amazing that anyone got out. Stephen was very shaken by what he had seen. All the local people round here are trying to get the speed limit reduced along this road, there are often crashes along this stretch."

Sgt Kevin Donnellon of the Bolton Police Traffic Unit said: "This was a serious accident and we would appeal for anyone who saw it to contact us."

Anyone with information should ring the Traffic Unit on 0161 856 5972.