Roads plagued by weekend of crashes

A family-of-five were taken to hospital and a pensioner suffered serious leg and chest injuries in a weekend of misery on the region's roads.

There were a number of serious crashes across the Black Country, Birmingham and Wyre Forest.

At 11pm yesterday, a family-of-five were taken to hospital after the car they were travelling in collided with a lorry on the M6 in Birmingham.

Paramedics were called to the southbound carriageway between Junctions 3 Corley and 4a, Coleshill.

West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman Claire Thomas said: "A man and woman in their 30s and their three children, two boys and a girl all under the age of 12, were in the car at the time of the crash.

"Crews assessed the family on scene and immobilised the man with a neck collar and spinal board as a precaution before he was transferred to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire.

"The woman and three children escaped with minor injuries and were taken to the same hospital for further assessment and treatment. The lorry driver was not injured in the crash."

Meanwhile, a man was taken to hospital after being knocked down by a car in Birmingham city centre. The 23-year-old was hit in Bromsgrove Street just before midnight on Saturday. Miss Thomas said: "Crews assessed and treated the man on scene and immobilised him with a neck collar and spinal board.

"The man was conveyed by land ambulance on blue lights to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham."

An elderly woman suffered serious injuries to her leg and chest following a collision with a car in Areley Kings, Stourport.

The woman, aged 72, was treated by paramedics following the accident in Vale Road at 10.30am on Saturday.

Ambulance crews administered pain relief and stabilised the woman's condition before taking her to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital for further treatment. She also suffered injuries to her face. No-one else was hurt in the accident.

A female driver also had to be rescued from her car by firefighters following a collision with another vehicle along a Brierley Hill road. Fire crews and paramedics were called to Pedmore Road at around 7.30pm on Saturday.

Cutting equipment was used to remove the roof of the woman's car before she could be lifted out of the vehicle and treated by paramedics.

She was then taken to nearby Russells Hall Hospital, in Dudley, for further checks.

A boy and two men were also treated at the scene but had not suffered serious injury. Fire crews made the cars safe until they could be removed from the road.