A woman is fighting for her life after her car embedded itself in an electricity sub station wall following a three-car pile-up.

Firefighters spent an hour cutting the injured woman from the wreckage in a delicate rescue operation.

A second driver is also critically ill in hospital after the smash which happened outside the Tesco supermarket in Bradford Road, Brighouse, just after 10am yesterday.

A third motorist escaped with minor injuries in the accident, which closed the busy road for several hours.

Crews from Brighouse, Elland and the Major Rescue Unit at Cleckheaton went to the scene. Martin Day, Odsal Station Commander, who was in charge of the rescue, said a Jaguar and a Ford Focus were in collision. The impact sent the Ford spinning backwards off the road into the sub-station.

The front of the car was crushed, trapping the driver, a woman in her 30s, in her seat.

Firefighters used cutting gear to remove the roof and door of the Ford and spread the car apart so the woman could be put on a stretcher.

She was taken to Leeds General Infirmary with a severe head injury and is in a critical condition.

The Jaguar driver, an elderly man, was also trapped and had to be cut free. He was taken to Calderdale Royal Hospital with serious leg injuries and is in a critical condition.

The driver of a Vauxhall Corsa, which collided with the back of one of the other cars, was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

An eyewitness, who worked near the scene, said the accident was very distressing.

Police are asking for witnesses to the incident to contact them on (01422) 337059.