TWO women were taken to hospital after a car collided with a house in Westhoughton.

The women had to be cut out of a vehicle following the crash in Lord Street near the junction with Church Street on Saturday night.

An elderly woman in her mid-70s, and a younger woman, are believed to have been involved.

They were both taken to Royal Bolton Hospital by ambulance.

The car is understood to have collided with a parked vehicle and a house at about 6pm.

The front wall of a property in Lord Street has sustained damage.

A spokeswoman for North West Ambulance Service said: "We were called shortly after 5.45pm to a collision between two cars. One of the cars crashed into a house. We attended with two ambulances and members of our Hazardous Area Response Team as well as a rapid response vehicle and an operational commander.

"Two patients have been taken to hospital, one elderly woman who had chest pain, and another younger woman who has a neck injury."

Firefighters attended and used cutting equipment to remove the roof of the car to free the trapped women. Crews from Hindley and Atherton attended, as well as a technical response unit from Leigh.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: "We were called shortly before 6pm to a traffic accident in Lord Street, Westhoughton.

"Crews used cutting equipment and lighting at the incident and helped free two women from the vehicle, who were then taken to hospital."

Crews remained at the scene for about 90 minutes.

Police also attended the scene to temporarily shut the road.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "We heard a loud bang at about 5.45pm.

"We had been at Westhoughton Methodist Church and had not been home long when it happened.

"My son went outside to see what had happened, and called the police.

"There was an elderly woman and a young woman in the car. I was told the car had spun.

"Fire crews had to take the top of the vehicle off to get the elderly woman out.

"We saw one woman taken into an ambulance.

"Someone said they had been on their way to the service at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, which starts at 6pm.

"All of the neighbours hope that the woman soon recovers. Everyone is concerned. It is such a shock."

Residents reported that about three ambulances, four fire engines and several police cars attended.

Lord Street was shut at the junctions with The Avenue and Church Street while emergency services worked at the scene.