AN investigation has begun after an ambulance answering a 999 call collided with a car.

The Mitsubishi Colt was turning right from Furthergate to Newton Street, Blackburn, when the ambulance collided with its back and side at about 6pm yesterday.

Car driver Rehmat Hasham, 48, of Holland Street, Blackburn, was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary suffering minor neck injuries, according to road traffic police. She was later discharged.

Ambulance driver David Haworth, also 48, of Blackburn, suffered shock and was sent home.

Gordon Rolfe, Blackburn ambulance operations manager, said the 999 call, a medical emergency in the Blackburn area, was answered by another vehicle.

He said: "It did not compromise our cover of the area as we put a spare vehicle on the road in place of the damaged one."

Duty manager Mike Abel, of Lancashire ambulance service control centre, said investigations were always held into accidents involving ambulances regardless of who was at fault.

He said: "After the police have completed their investigation, they will give us their report and we will make our own investigation.

"We do not have many accidents, considering the mileage our vehicles do.

"Because of the speeds that we sometimes have to travel at there is always an element of risk but we do impress upon our drivers that although we have to get to the emergency, there are other road users and pedestrians."