A FAMILY who had been planning a trip to India for two years crashed their car on the way to the airport.

The mother and father and their seven-year-old daughter were driving along Bradford Road in Great Lever when their car collided with the wall at the junction of Forrester Avenue around noon yesterday.

It is believed that the driver of the car had new shoes on and his foot slipped on to the accelerator forcing the car to crash into the road.

Eyewitnesses who had spoken to the family said that the family had been saving up for their trip to India for two years and were due to fly from Manchester Airport at 3.30pm.

It is understood that the family of three were due to meet other family members who had flown out to India last week.

Mohammed Farid Yousaf, who was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court this week for smashing up a rival ice cream seller's van and threatening him, was stood on the opposite side of the road when the crash happened.

He claimed to have saved the lives of the family who were travelling in the car.

The 47-year-old said: "I heard a bang so I came running across with my friend.

"There was smoke coming out of it and we were worried that it was going to set on fire.

"I ran round and opened all the doors and there was a young girl in the front who was screaming and crying.

"I took her out and put her on the side of the road and then I went to get the lady out of the back of the car, she had smashed her head into the back of the seat and there was a lot of blood and her teeth had come out."

North West Ambulance confirmed that they were called to the scene at 11.50am to reports of a car in collision with a wall.

One patient was taken to Royal Bolton Hospital with minor injuries.

Mr Yousaf said: "When I saw what happened the first thing I wanted to do was run over and help. I thought the car was going to burst in to flames I just had to get them out.

"My main concern was to get the people out of the car and make sure they were ok."

Police were called to the scene but the family were already out of the car when they arrived, scene so officers were unable to confirm that Mr Yousaf had rescued the family.

They confirmed that no other cars had been involved in the incident.