A young driver was hurled from a car, and three passengers had to be cut free, after it smashed into a stone wall.

All four, who were said to be in their late teens or early 20s, were seriously hurt in the accident in Keighley early on Saturday, though none of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening.

The casualties, from the Keighley area, were taken to three different hospitals by a fleet of ambulances.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said one man was in a serious but stable condition and the three others all had broken bones. Two had suffered suspected broken necks and one of them is also thought to have a fractured arm and leg. The third broken bone victim has a suspected fractured pelvis, as well as chest and lung injuries.

The blue Lexus IS200 smashed at speed into a garden wall, in West Lane at 12.30pm, and bounced back into the road. The driver was hurled through the windscreen.

Resident Angela Reynoldson, 43, whose wall was hit, said the car was a mangled mess.

She said: “I was watching TV when I heard a massive bang. It sounded like an earthquake.

“The car had smashed into the corner of the wall and must then have bounced into the front of it and ended up on the other side of the road, with its engine steaming.

“I dialled 999 straight away. I could see the driver, who had been thrown through the windscreen, lying in the road. He was conscious and talking to people.

“It took over an hour for the fire brigade to get the other three out of the car and they were stretchered off. One seemed to be writhing in pain but didn’t look too badly hurt. The other two weren’t moving. Police said they were all alive but were very seriously hurt.”

West Yorkshire Ambulance Service sent four ambulances, along with two rapid response vehicles, two hazardous area road traffic vehicles, two clinical supervisors and a doctor.

A spokesman said two casualties had been taken to Leeds General Infirmary, one to Bradford Royal Infirmary and one to Airedale General Hospital. Fire appliances from Keighley, Bingley and Haworth responded to the crash.

Keighley crew commander Fiona Hopper said a section of the road near the Reservoir Tavern pub was closed while the crews removed the top of the car to free the people inside. “They were all male who were either late teens or in their early 20s,” she said.

“The car had hit a wall and spun round, but it hadn’t turned over. We were there for about an hour and a half – it was quite an in-depth operation. The cause of the crash is under investigation.”

Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident, which happened at the junction of West Lane and Back Sladen Street. The car was travelling up West Lane from the direction of Keighley when it hit the wall.

Any witnesses to the accident are asked to contact the Western Area Roads Policing Unit on 101.