Five injured in two village crashes
[gallery] Five people were taken to hospital after two separate crashes within 15 minutes in a village today.
Bognop Road in Essington was closed from around 8.35am after a grey Seat Leon collided with a cyclist.
It happened close to the junction with Hilton Cross.
The cyclist, a man in his 40s, was taken to New Cross Hospital with chest and leg injuries but his condition is not thought to be life threatening.
Accident investigators were at the scene today carrying out a probe and the road was closed.
A West Midland Ambulance Service spokesman said the biker escaped serious injury by wearing a helmet.
He said: "He was wearing a cycle helmet. One of the attending crew remarked how, considering how little such helmets weight, how effective they are at saving someone where there is an impact."
The incident came just 15 minutes after four people were taken to hospital after another crash in nearby Hobnock Road.
It happened close to the road's junction with Sneyd Lane, at around 8.20am.
Three people were taken to Walsall Manor Hospital as a precaution, while another was taken to New Cross Hospital.
Sarah Davison, spokeswoman for Staffordshire Police, said: "The road was blocked while the scene was cleared.
"Four people were taken to hospital but this was as a precaution.
"None were in a serious condition."
Councillor David Clifft, representative for Essington, said he would be asking for the incidents to be looked into.
"If this is because of something we can do something about then we will do what we can," he said.
