A BUSINESSMAN from East Lancashire has died in hospital after he was involved in a horrific road accident.

Tommy Blank, of The Lodge, Childers Green, Burnley, was trapped in his vehicle for almost an hour after he lost control of his four-wheel drive vehicle by a bridge in Burnley Lane, Huncoat.

Mr Blank, 77, who owns T Blank Tyres, Dale Street, Accrington, suffered serious head, chest and internal injuries in the accident yesterday morning.

He was freed by firefighters and taken to Blackburn Infirmary where he died at 8pm last night.

Police are trying to establish how Mr Blank's Isuzu Trooper left the road and are appealing for witnesses to the incident which happened at 10.45am.

A police spokesman said: "The vehicle left Burnley Lane, which is a single track road, on a right hand bend and slid down a grass verge.

"It collided with and went through some barriers and overturned. It continued to slide down the embankment towards the A56 and collided with a bridge support."

The A56 Accrington easterly-bypass was shut for more than two hours while mercy crews freed Mr Blank.

He was trapped after the roof of the vehicle was pushed down into the dashboard by the impact.

Fire crews prevented the four-wheel drive from sliding further towards the inside lane of the northbound carriageway.

They used a winch from the bridge above to lift the vehicle off its roof and air bags to support it while Mr Blank was freed. He was stabilised by a team of paramedics and an emergency doctor before being taken to Blackburn Infirmary.

Accrington leading firefighter Dave Leeming said: "There were crash barriers at the bottom of the slope, but if the vehicle was rolling at any speed it would have gone through them on to the carriageway."

Accrington paramedic Pete Ballan added: "When we arrived the vehicle was on its roof. The man trapped inside had serious head, neck, chest, leg and pelvic injuries.

"We called out the emergency doctor, got inside the vehicle and stabilised him. He was semi-conscious on the way to hospital."

Ian Broderick, a member of staff at the tyre firm, said he had been asked not to comment by a member of Mr Blank's family. Anyone who witnessed the incident, should contact Accrington Traffic Police on 01254 353764.

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