THIS was the scene which confronted firefighters and paramedics called to deal with a car crash near Carterton.

The driver of a Rover 214 was trapped inside his car after he apparently skidded off the road and hit a tree.

The vehicle went off the B4020 Alvescot Road, east of the Kencot turning, soon after 7pm on Wednesday.

Adam Fisher, a spokesman for Thames Valley Police, said firefighters used hydraulic cutting equipment to free the 52-year-old man from Carterton from the wreckage of the car, because his legs were trapped.

He was then taken by helicopter to the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Oxford, to be treated for pelvic injuries. Mr Fisher added: “The man is still being treated in hospital and remains in a stable condition.”

Sixteen firefighters from Bampton, Burford and Kidlington took part in the rescue, supported by ambulance service staff and police.

Toby Perry, an Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service watch manager, based at Bampton fire station, said: “Firefighters worked as fast as possible to cut the driver free from the car. The force of the impact created very limited space in which to work.

“Thanks to the combined efforts of all the emergency services in attendance, the incident was quickly resolved.”

David Pearce, from Langford, near Carterton, was one of the first to arrive at the scene.

He said: “It was quite a spectacular crash and the car was completely wrecked. I thought the driver was lucky to be alive. I was amazed he was not killed by the impact.”

Mr Pearce said it looked as if the car had skidded off the road.

No other vehicles were involved in the accident, which closed the road for a number of hours.

Thames Valley Police accident investigators inspected the scene of the crash once the driver had been freed and taken to hospital.