A MOTORIST was rescued from his burning car by a passer by after it lost control and slammed into a house.

A husband and wife spoke of their shock when they were woken by the crash which shook their home.

Keith and Kath Scott were asleep when the red Ford Escort estate ploughed into the side of their house in Hud Hey Road, Haslingden, at 3am yesterday.

The pair then saw the driver rescued from the burning wreckage.

Mrs Scott, 55, said: "He was shouting get out, get out, it's on fire'.

"All the front of the car was squashed and he couldn't open the front doors, so he kicked the window in."

Police, fire and ambulance crews were called to the incident, which happened on the corner of Brook Street.

The driver was treated at the scene by para-medics and taken to Fairfield Hospital, Bury, with chest and head injuries. The road was closed for 45 minutes.

Mrs Scott said: "It is fortunate it's a solid house because if it was a new one he would have been in the house."

Crew manager Glenn Barrett said: "The driver had lost control and careered into the side of an end terrace.

"There was a small fire in the engine compart-ment which we put out and made safe."