AN HORRENDOUS car accident could have killed the new head of Bury Council.

Mr Dennis Taylor, expected to take over next week as chief executive, was lucky to survive the crash with a broken bone in his neck and a fractured collar bone.

He and his wife Anne had to be cut free from the wreckage after a Sunday lunchtime drive in the country turned into near disaster.

Mr Taylor was driving his Ford Scorpio near Clitheroe following Bury's recent Mayoral Sunday service when the accident happened.

"I swerved off the road to avoid a van, which then joined me in the hedge," he said.

"Someone living across the road administered first aid until the ambulance and police arrived, and they had to crowbar the car doors off to get us out."

The couple were taken to the neuro surgery unit at Blackburn Royal Infirmary. Apart from Mr Taylor's broken bones, they suffered whiplash, plus £6,000 worth of damage to their car.

Mr Taylor added: "We were very fortunate in getting off the road first. The police said we would have been dead if we had not."

After a week off to recover, Mr Taylor (48) is back at work although the nature of his injuries mean he cannot wear a neck brace. "It's been a very painful experience which I won't forget in a hurry," he said.

"I've been inundated with letters and cards from people - I've been overwhelmed by people's kindness."

SENIOR councillors are expected to meet within the week to offer Mr Taylor the top job.

He has served as acting chief executive since last year, due to the illness of Mr David Burton who died earlier this year.

Meanwhile, fellow town hall bosses are battling for other top positions in the new revamped council.

The authority is being streamlined into four bumper departments, and interviews take place next Wednesday, (June 11).

Certain of being the new director of development and environmental services is Ian Cheetham, currently director of development services.

He is the only candidate for the job, which covers planning matters, highways, environmental health and trading standards.

And the post of director of corporate resources (finance, personnel, legal etc) will be either council solicitor Stan Monaghan or borough treasurer John Cook.

But it is a three way fight to lead the new mega-budget personal and community services department, which brings together schools, social services and housing.

Candidates are social services director David Ashworth, housing director Sandy Paterson, and leisure director Dr Graham Nicholson.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.