Couple killed in crash at busy Oldbury junction

The smash catapulted two cars onto the pavement.

Emergency services found a man and woman in a Volvo in cardiac arrest at the junction of the A4123 Wolverhampton Road and Brandhall Road in Oldbury.

The 82-year-old husband and his wife, also in her 80s, were treated by paramedics but pronounced dead at the scene.

Witnesses said their car had been waiting to turn right into Brandhall Road and had collided with an oncoming Audi.

After the crash, at about 1.20pm yesterday, both cars were left badly damaged on the pavement at the corner of Brandhall Road, near the entrance to a house driveway.

The 22-year-old Audi driver who was taken to hospital with serious leg injuries was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

His passenger, a 26-year-old man, had a pelvic injury, chest pain and a cut to his head..

Residents today spoke of their shock and said the junction was 'notorious' with a string of near misses in recent months.

A woman, who asked not to be named, said the wreckage was 'horrific' and added: "It's tragic. The cars were in a really bad way. I only saw the scene when I got home so it was difficult to tell what had happened but it looked like the Volvo ended up on the roadside facing back towards Oldbury, and the Audi was on the corner."

Father-of-two Sukhjit Riyat, aged 36, of Brandhall Road, arrived home from work at 6pm to find the road still closed by police.

The marquee salesman said: "Something like this was waiting to happen. I won't turn right onto Wolverhampton Road any more because it's too dangerous – I'd rather take the long way round. It is a notorious junction. There are schoolchildren crossing nearby and it can be really dangerous. It's sad but I'm not surprised."

John Jenkins, a 62-year-old self-employed carpenter, of Wolverhampton Road, said he went outside when he heard sirens and 'could tell straight away that it was a bad crash'.

He added: "The cars must have really hit with some force because it looked like both were on the pavement. I didn't go near as the emergency services were all there but you knew it was serious.

"I've heard of a few near misses there recently, but this is something else. It's awful."

Sergeant Neil Higgins, from the West Midlands Police Collision Investigation Unit, said: "This was a very serious collision which sadly claimed the lives of two people.

"Following the incident a number of drivers and passers-by came to the aid of those involved and we are keen to hear from anyone who was there who has not yet spoken to us.

"We are continuing to investigate what happened and want to hear from anyone who witnessed the collision or was in the area at the time."

The road was re-opened at 6.25pm.