Crash causes roads chaos

HUNDREDS of commuters faced rush-hour chaos this morning following a crash in Shaw last night.

Drivers faced huge delays and tailbacks as they approached the Big Lamp roundabout and a closed Oldham Road.

Fire crews were called to Oldham Road at 7.30pm last following the crash involving two vehicles.

One of the drivers, a 21-year-old, from Rochdale, was trapped by his legs in a Skoda Octavia and had to be freed by firefighters.

He had been driving towards Shaw town centre when his car collided with a Volkswagen Polo.

Fire crews from Oldham, Chadderton and Ashton were called to the scene.

Specialist cutting equipment was used to free the man who taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital suffering from a broken leg, arm and pelvis, as well as suspected neck and spinal injuries. His front seat passenger, a 27-year-old man from Oldham, suffered facial injuries, cuts and bruises. The driver of the Polo, a 28-year-old woman from Oldham, managed to get out of her vehicle by the time fire crews arrived.

She was also taken to hospital suffering a broken leg and suspected broken arm.

Investigations were ongoing this morning and police road closures signs were still in place as rush hour traffic hit the roundabout.

One driver, who was late for work, said: “It was total chaos. It took me 25 minutes to travel the same distance that usually takes me just five.”