SHOCKED residents told of the moment they heard the ‘loud bang’ of a car crash which killed two men.

The collision happened at about 1.35am this morning in Todmorden Road, Bacup.

A dark-coloured Ford Focus car, travelling towards Bacup, crashed into a parked Vauxhall Astra and overturned. 

The driver, 30, and passenger, 22, both from Rochdale, were taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital where they were pronounced dead a short time later.

Their families have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.

Flowers were left at the scene of the crash, while sand and bits of debris were scattered across the road.

Barbara Trzeciak, 62, who lives in Todmorden Road, is the owner of the Vauxhall Astra destroyed in the collision and said it was ‘very sad’ that two young men have lost their lives.

She said: “I went to bed at 11.30pm but my husband Mick stayed up and at 1.30am, he heard a big loud bang.

“He’d never heard anything like it before, and it woke my brother and his wife up next door and my other next-door neighbour.

“My husband opened the blinds and went out to see what was going on.

“He saw the car had disappeared and he thought someone had stolen it, but then there flashing lights and police were there.

“We saw the car which had collided with ours had ended up at the bottom of Carlton Street, while ours was on the opposite side of the road destroyed.

“The car must have hit ours front on from where it was parked, outside our house on the road, and then it’s spun back somehow missing the wall on the opposite side of the road and ended up at the bottom of Carlton Street where it was overturned. 

“The Vauxhall's written off but that can be replaced, unlike those two young people who have lost their lives and on Mother’s Day of all days.

It’s very sad.”

Another neighbour said: “I was woken up by a loud bang and there must have been five police cars and there were fire and ambulance crews.

“The road was closed for a good couple of hours.”

Sgt Finn Quainton from the Road Policing Unit said: “Firstly my thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of these two men at this incredibly sad and difficult time.

“We need anyone who may have seen the Ford Focus car leading up to the collision to get in contact with us as they may have vital information that could assist with our investigation.”

If you have any information that may help call 101 quoting incident reference 142 of March 11.