LIVE: Emergency services block main road amid reports of serious crash – latest updates

Former councilor Anna-Marie Watters, who lives nearby, said she saw the scene minutes after the collision and a large vehicle mounted the curb and crashed into a fence on the opposite side of the road.

She has spent 25 years campaigning for road safety measures along Wigan Road and previously succeeded in changing the speed limit to 30mph.

“I saw her as I was coming down the road. I was on the left hand side, like going into Hindley,” she said. “You could see a large Range Rover type car and it was in the fence on the opposite side of the road.

“It looked like he crossed the road and mounted the kerb.

“I have campaigned on this road for 25 years. When I moved here it was 40km/h and I threatened to stop it because of the number of accidents.

“It is such a massive road; we hear how fast they go all night, every night. There have been many accidents here and they have changed the bollards so many times because cars keep hitting them. This needs to be coordinated between the police and Wigan. and Bolton council’.