A VAN driver was trapped in his vehicle following a collision with a lorry at a bend on a narrow road.

The front of the van crushed inwards, pinning the man up to his pelvis, when the accident happened at 12.30pm on Friday.

Five paramedics, two doctors and nurses went to the crash scene on Guy Lane, Waverton.

Fire crews, from Chester, Malpas and Tarporley had to cut the driver free from the transit van, the end of which was up an embankment.

Gavin Bryce, clinical manager for Chester, Ellesmere Port and Tattenhall, described the scene as 'hazardous'.

He said: 'A man in his 30s was very heavily trapped in the wreckage and was trapped for an hour or an hour and a half.

'The front end of the van was badly damaged, pinning him up to his pelvis. He had severe leg injuries but remained conscious throughout and was given an anaesthetic.

'The North West Air Ambulance (NWAA) attended from Blackpool and flew him to the Countess of Chester. His condition has remained stable.'

Mr Bryce said the HGV driver was uninjured. A NWAA spokesman said they were called to the scene at 12.38pm. On arrival their paramedics released the van driver on a long board owing to his injuries.

The spokesman added: 'They were then transported to the Countess of Chester Hospital by NWAA, which took three minutes - a trip that would have taken 20 minutes by land.

'Covering Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire and South Cumbria the NWAA costs £75,000 every month to maintain.

'On average the NWAA is called out four times a day, rising up to 10 in the summer.'

To donate to the NWAA call the free donation hotline on 0800 587 4570.