Four are injured as cars collide

FIREFIGHTERS sliced the roof from a car to release a woman who was trapped in a serious accident.
The crash happened outside The News Centre in Hilsea when two cars travelling in opposite directions collided and four people were rushed to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, by paramedics. The young woman who was cut free and her injured passengers were in a green Peugeot 106 which ended up in the centre of Hilsea Crescent, underneath the footbridge. It was so badly damaged the only way firefighters from Cosham and Copnor could free her was to cut the roof off. A dark blue Ford Focus was also damaged. Crew Manager Andrew Dowden-Smith, from Copnor Fire Station, attended the scene and said: 'We actually used our cutting equipment and had to remove the roof, then with the assistance of paramedics got her onto a spinal board. 'She was quite shaken obviously, anyone that's been through something like that would be.' Paramedics were first on the scene at about 9.30pm yesterday< < <>>> and immediately called the fire brigade for help. When crews arrived all the passengers from the Peugeot 106 were out, as were the passengers of the Ford Focus estate car involved. It was not clear which passengers were in which car. Watch manager Mark Norton, from Cosham Fire Station, said: 'It was a very serious accident. What we believe happened was that the young woman we freed was travelling north from Hilsea and the other vehicle involved was travelling south
from Cosham when they collided. 'Obviously we don't know exactly what happened yet. I believe the police are now investigating that. 'They closed off the three roads linked to the junction while we freed the young lady. It took about 20 minutes.' This morning there was still glass on the ground but traffic was able to flow freely. The junction is known to be a black spot for motorists and pedestrians. Last month a pedestrian suffered minor injuries when she walked out in front of a car on the pelican crossing outside The News Centre. And in April last year a year-old girl was thrown into the air after being hit by a car at the same spot.