A WOMAN suffered serious spinal injuries and was rushed to hospital after her car collided with a van.

The incident happened at the junction of Walmersley Road and Chesham Road shortly after 9.30am yesterday.

Emergency services raced to the scene and fire crews had use hydraulic cutting equipment and saws to remove the roof and seats from the woman's car.

They then took out of the car using a spinal board.

The woman, believed to be in her 60s, had suffered serious injuries to her neck.

However the driver of the van was unhurt.

Walmersley Road was closed following the incident and fire crews remained at the scene for around an hour.

Steve Wilcock, Bury fire station watch manager, said: "It was a nice steady operation to remove her because if you snap a vertebrae you can be very easily paralysed. But it was a textbook extrication.

"The man from the van also did a really good job. He got out and started to direct traffic but in the end we had to close the road."