A MAN attempted to rescue an injured woman from a car wreckage after a horrific crash.

Three people were taken to hospital after the accident at the junction of the A133 and School Road in Elmstead Market.

A van, Mercedes and another vehicle were involved in the crash shortly before 8pm on Sunday.

A 25-year-old man, who did not wish to be named, said he witnessed the crash and attempted to save one of the women involved.

He said: “I saw the van pull out of the junction into another car, and it pushed that car into another car.

“The man in the van was fine but there was a woman in a red car and the airbags were smoking. She was unconscious.”

He was waiting for a friend when he saw the crash happen in front of him.

He said: “The door to the woman’s car was jammed shut and we had to yank it open.

“The car was filled with smoke. The woman was saying her back hurt but she was really dazed.

“She wasn’t very responsive at all.”

The Mercedes and the red car were travelling in opposite directions at the time, one towards Colchester and the other back towards Elmstead Market.

The man said: “In the Mercedes there was a mum and her daughter. The daughter was not in a good way, she was crying and we didn’t know what to do.

“They had to cut the roof off the car. The girl was bleeding.”

The road was shut for several hours while the emergency services rescued the casualties.

The man supported residents who said the road was dangerous, although this is disputed by highways authorities.

He said: “Probably all three of the cars are write offs, I would be surprised if they managed to salvage any of that.

“That junction is dangerous, it’s not very well lit and it’s a 30mph road.”

Essex Police are investigating. A police spokesman said: “We were called at around 7.45pm.

“A 59-year-old woman was taken to hospital for her injuries, which are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.

“A 39-year-old woman was taken to hospital for precautionary checks.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Stanway Roads Policing Unit on 101 quoting incident 1090 of 01/12.

An Essex Highways spokesman said there is a Give Way sign 50 metres from the junction and another at the junction itself.