Car driver's lucky escape

A driver had a lucky escape after his car flipped on to its side during a crash in Halesowen.

His Nissan Note people carrier appeared to have struck parked cars and flipped on to its side landing in the middle of a busy road.

The man was cut free by fire crews but was suffering from just minor injuries and shock.

The crash led to the road being closed until emergency crews and council workers were able to arrange for the wreckage to be removed.

The accident happened on the Stourbridge Road, outside Halesowen Football Club, at 2.30pm yesterday afternoon.

Emergency services were alerted by other motorists and the road was sealed off while firefighters from Halesowen cut the man, in his fortiess, free from the vehicle.

Firefighter Matthew Crawford said: "He was conscious throughout, although he was white as a ghost.

"We had to get everyone back and seal off the road as we had to use some pretty heavy-duty machinery to flip the roof off and get him out.

"He seemed all right but was taken to hospital to be checked over just to make sure."

He added: "I think there was quite a lot of tailbacks around the area because the road was shut. We certainly passed a lot of traffic."

He said the driver was very lucky to escape without more serious injury.

West Midlands Ambulance Service sent two ambulances to the scene.

The County Air Ambulance was also despatched to the scene and landed on the nearby football pitch. It was not needed and the man was taken to Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley, by land ambulance to be checked over.