Driver injured after car collides with shop front

Police officers, firefighters and paramedics were called to St John's Road, in Stourbridge, after the Freelander smashed into the barrier and through a front window of The Property Shop.

Fire crews worked to free the driver, a woman believed to be in her 30s, removing the roof of the vehicle so she could be released by paramedics.

She suffered serious arm injuries. Her teenage daughter, who was a passenger in the car, was not injured in the crash, which happened just before 1pm yesterday.

Police closed off all three lanes of the ring road between its junctions with Birmingham Street and Hagley Road.

Heavy traffic built up along Enville Street, Birmingham Street and Amblecote High Street.

One lane of the ring road was re-opened to traffic at around 2.40pm easing the queues but traffic still remained heavy for more than an hour afterwards.

West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman John Hawker said: "Crews arrived to find the vehicle had left the road and collided with a set of railings and also an estate agents.

"The woman driving the car had suffered serious arm injuries in the crash and was also in shock. She received emergency treatment whilst still inside the vehicle including pain relief.

"With the assistance of the fire service the woman was freed from the vehicle, and immobilised using a spinal board and neck collar."

The woman was taken to Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital for further checks and treatment.

Mr Hawker said the teenager was checked at the scene but did not require further treatment.

Police are still investigating the cause of the smash.

Watch Commander Ant Dingley, of Stourbridge Fire Station, said: "We carried out a full roof removal in order to free the woman from the vehicle.

"It is fortunate no-one was in that room at the shop at the time or on the pavement otherwise they would have been badly hurt."

Workers Matthew Cook and Edward Mitchell, were at their desks at nearby Adam Grant estate agents when they heard the crash.

They ran outside to help.

Mr Cook said: "I was on the phone at the time and heard the crash. We went outside to see if there was anything we could do.

"There was a woman and a young girl in the car.

"We supported the woman's neck until the paramedics arrived. The girl was not hurt.

"The woman was conscious and talking to us."