Woman seriously injured after being trapped under bin lorry in Wolverhampton

Eyewitness reports said the woman was trapped under the Ash Waste Services lorry on Lichfield Street, near Princes Square, after crossing the road with the child shortly after 11am.

The pair are now both in hospital, where the woman's injuries are described as 'serious' and the girl is being treated for a suspected broken leg.

Police officers, ambulance crews and firefighters were all at the scene, where the woman - who is in her 30s - was treated for around 45 minutes before being taken to hospital by ambulance.

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A police investigation has been launched and Lichfield Street remained cordoned off for around four hours while collision investigators examined the scene.

A man who said he arrived on the scene moments after the accident explained: "A woman and her child were crossing the road when it happened.

"The woman was badly hurt and it looked like she had been trapped under the front wheel of the bin lorry.

"The little girl was sitting on the pavement."

Private company Ash Waste Services declined to comment.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “The woman received specialist trauma care having suffered serious injuries in the incident.

"She was immobilised and given pain relief before being alerted in to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham by land ambulance.

“The girl was also treated for serious injuries before being transported to Birmingham Children’s Hospital by land ambulance.

“The driver of the lorry, a man, was treated for the effects of shock before being discharged at the scene.”

The incident happened at the traffic light-controlled junction between Princess Street and Lichfield Street, just yards away from where Wolverhampton University students and their families were celebrating after a degree presentation ceremony.

Police sealed off the junction as rescuers battled to get the woman from under the blue lorry and continued treatment after moving her to the pavement.

The emergency services' presence has now been scaled down.

Sham Sharma, owner of nearby Zuri Coffee, said: "The lady had been dragged underneath and she did have very badly hurt legs.

"Luckily the little girl was not so badly hurt.

"The lady had got to be in her late 20s maybe early 30s. I heard her screaming.

"Everybody gathered around and everybody was fantastic as they are in Wolverhampton.

"The police were here more or less straight away. She was worked on for 40 to 45 minutes.

"Her legs were all cut open and the little girl was bruised on her right side and thank God she was not badly hurt.

"She was alive that was the main thing. I hope that she will be fine and we will be praying for her and the little one.

"We do not like to see anyone hurt."

Witness Jane Hadley added: "I was in the cafe Bethany's and a chap came running in and he said 'Oh my God a woman and her kid have been knocked over on the corner'.

"I heard him say that she was walking over the road and the bin lorry came round the corner.

"The lady was screaming. I saw a young child and all her trousers were ripped.

"That road is really bad and the way they come around the corner."

Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes, from the West Midlands Police Collision Investigation Unit, said: "This investigation is in its early stages and we are trying to establish exactly what happened, and are appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision to contact us.”

Anyone with information is asked to call West Midlands Police on 101 quoting log 779 29/03/2018.