EMERGENCY services were faced with four road traffic accidents in five hours yesterday.

A motorcyclist suffered serious ankle injuries and was taken to Bolton Royal Infirmary after colliding with a Landrover Discovery in Belmont Road, Belmont, at 4.15pm.

Francis Mulhearn, 30, of Langdale Street, Leigh, came off his Honda motorcycle outside the waterworks entrance after hitting the Landrover driven by Barrie Garbutt, 60, of Arran Close, Worsley.

At 5.45pm there was a two-car smash in Whalley Road with the junction of Blackburn Road, Clayton-le-Moors. Daniel Thomas Wrathall, 24, of Worston Hall Farm collided with Claire Elizabeth Walmsley, 30, of Mercer Crescent, Helmshore in an Audi 80. Mrs Walmsley and her two passengers aged eight and 48 were all taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary suffering bruising and shock.

Paramedics and fire crews were then called to two road traffic accidents at opposite ends of Queens Road West in Accrington at 9.15pm.

At the junction with Dill Hall Lane, a man was cut free from his white Fiat Uno after hitting a lamp post. He was not wearing a seat belt and had no air bag.

David Rothesa, 55, of Gloucester Road, Accrington, was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary for treatment.

And at the junction with Whalley Road, Catherine Malcom, 41, of Austwick Way, Accrington, driving a Ford Focus, collided with Sajad Khan, 38, of Lister Street, Accrington, driving a Toyota Carina. Both were taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary suffering bruising and shock.