Man knocked down as he re-fuels car in Oldbury

A man was knocked down while he was filling up with fuel when another car hit his vehicle on the forecourt of a supermarket petrol station.

Emergency service members arrived at Sainsbury's petrol station forecourt to find the man, in his 40s, lying on the ground.

He suffered suspected spinal injuries and was given pain relief by medics before being transported to hospital on a spinal board. The petrol station, off Freeth Street, in Oldbury, was closed for two hours following the accident.

West Midlands Police spokesman Brigg Ford said police had been called at around 10am yesterday and two cars had been involved.

He said: "It looks like one car has gone into the other on the forecourt. Somebody using the filling station was hit by the vehicle. They were taken to hospital. The injuries are not thought to be serious."

He said police were looking into the circumstances around the crash but added: "It's not a serious investigation. It looks like a genuine accident."

West Midlands ambulance spokesman Steve Parry said: "A man had been reportedly in collision with a car while refuelling his vehicle at the petrol station."

"When crews arrived they found a man in his forties lying on the floor near the vehicles. He had sustained suspected spinal injuries.

"The patient was given pain relief and immobilised with the use of a neck collar and placed on a spinal board before being taken to the QE Hospital in Birmingham.

"The female car driver was treated for minor injuries at the scene and discharged by ambulance staff."

Sainsbury's deputy manager Gary Amos said: "We had to close the petrol station for about two hours to allow the police to carry out their inquiries.

"Any customers who tried to enter the forecourt were moved on. No damage was done to the petrol station."