A DRIVER is fighting for his life after he was cut free from the wreckage of his car following a serious head-on collision in Ainsworth on Tuesday night.

The 24-year-old male Peugeot 306 driver, who has not been named, is 'critical' in the intensive care unit of Salford's Hope Hospital after suffering a serious head injury and fractures to his arms, legs and spine.

Police believe his car was travelling along Bury New Road, towards Bury, on the wrong side of the carriageway when it was in collision with the Toyota Yaris at 9.20pm. The impact was so severe that only a few inches separated the head lamps from the dashboards of both cars.

The 17-year-old driver of the Toyota, Francesca Najduch, of Higher Green Farm, Ainsworth, is in Bolton Royal Infirmary after sustaining a broken arm, leg and ankle.

Fire crews from Bury and Bolton used hydraulic cutting and spreading gear to free the drivers and worked at the scene with an emergency team of doctors from Bolton.

Commander Steve Wilcock, from Bury fire station, said: "It took us about half an hour to free the lad,who was unconscious throughout and 50 minutes for the girl. We had to push the dashboards off them.

"I've seen a lot of road traffic collisions but have rarely seen someone trapped to this severity. It was a fantastic co-ordinated effort between us and the ambulance service."