SEVEN people – including three children – have been taken to hospital after a car ploughed into a house.

Four cars were involved in the smash in Bury New Road, Whitefield which happened shortly before 9.15pm last night.

A white Kia Sportage travelling towards the M60 junction 17 roundabout is believed to have clipped another car turning right, ploughing through several gardens before smashing into the bay window of the semi-detached house.

The driver, a 22-year-old man, was trapped in his vehicle and had to be cut free by firefighters.

He was taken to hospital, along with a family of two adults and three children who were travelling in one of the other cars involved in the smash.

Three other people were assessed at the scene by paramedics, with one of those, a woman, subsequently also taken to hospital on a spinal board as a precautionary measure.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said all injuries were believed to be minor.

The family who lived in the semi-detached home had a lucky escape after going to bed early, meaning no one was in their front room when the car ploughed into it.

Tony Wellock, watch manager at Whitefield fire station, said a building inspector was expected to assess the property today.

He added: “The car was removed from the building about 12am and the bay window was made safe and weather tight.

“Luckily the family who lived there – who said they would usually sit down and watch TV at that time – had gone to bed early.”

Motorists were advised to avoid the area last night, with the dual carriageway at first shut on both sides, then later reopened northbound towards Bury.

Bury New Road was reopened completely by police by 12.20pm.

Fire crews from Whitefield and Broughton fire stations and the Technical Response Unit from Ashton attended.

Station manager Jon Crawley, who was in charge of the incident, said: “At total of nine people were involved in the incident.

“We released one man from one of the vehicles and crew from the Technical Response Unit have shored up the house to make it safe.”

Anyone who was a witness to the crash is asked to call GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 0161 856 4742.