A horrific car crash on the Drighlington bypass has killed one woman and put a man and a four-year-old girl in hospital.

The accident happened when a large green Volvo road sweeping vehicle collided with a white Peugeot car which was travelling towards Bradford.

When firefighters from Morley arrived at the accident scene only minutes later the heavy goods vehicle was on top of the Peugeot.

Morley fire station watch manager Dave Smith said when his team arrived they were able to free the little girl from the vehicle. She was immediately taken to Leeds General Infirmary for treatment for her injuries. Both she and the injured man were said to be in a critical condition.

Mr Smith said the front-seat female passenger was pronounced dead at the scene.

He said: "We worked extremely hard with the ambulance service under difficult circumstances to release the driver of the Peugeot.

"It took us at least an hour because the HGV was on top of the car.

"We had to use a heavy lifting crane to lift the HGV off the car which allowed us to work in more detail to free the driver."

The HGV was suspended in mid-air while firefighters, doctors and paramedics worked to free the driver.

Mr Smith added: "It was an extremely difficult incident. It is unusual to take that long to get someone out of the vehicle.

"The male driver was also taken to hospital for his injuries, he was suffering from quite serious injuries."

Fire crews from Morley, Batley and Cleckheaton were involved in the rescue along with a heavy rescue vehicle which has lifting equipment and a support engine from Hunslet which was also at the scene.

Mr Smith said there were approximately 20 firefighters involved in the rescue for around three hours.

The bypass was sealed off by police after the accident, which occured around 12.15pm and traffic was redirected.

The occupants of the Peugeot are all from the Wakefield area.

A police spokesman confirmed that they had been called to a serious road accident at 12.15pm involving a car and a wagon.

Police are appealing for witnesses to this crash and in particular anyone who may have seen the two vehicles before the crash.

Anyone with information about this incident should call Holbeck Road Traffic Police on 0113 241 4659.

A 41-year-old man from Morley has been arrested in connection with the incident.

  • A separate accident occurred at 12.40pm on Britannia Road in Morley yesterday involving a Mini Cooper and a bus.
An elderly man in the Mini was treated for minor injuries. Morley High Street and part of Britannia Road was closed for a short period.