A CASUALTY was cut from the wreckage of car and taken to hospital following a crash in Worcester.

The crash which involved two cars happened at the Foregate Street/Shaw Street junction at around 2.41am today.

Awoman in her 40s was taken by ambulance to Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester after complaining of neck pain but the other driver and a passenger, understood to be teenagers, escaped unscathed.

Two fire crews from Worcester attended and cutting equipment was used by firefighters to free the trapped woman.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police confirmed there was a crash between a white Ford Fiesta and a silver Vauxhall Corsa.

The crash involved one of the cars - the Corsa - smashing through the window of A-Plan Insurance which had one window boarded up yesterday but which opened for business at 9am.

Structural engineers were expected to arrive later to survey the damage which also involved the wooden window frame.

The junction is controlled by traffic lights with a camera on the Foregate Street side capable of issuing fines to those who run the red light.

A spokesman for the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said a trapped casualty was released by removing the roof of one of the cars.

The police and ambulance service also attended the scene.

A spokesman for the West Midlands Ambulance Service said they were called at 2.38am.

An ambulance, paramedic area support officer and a community first responder were dispatched to the scene.

He said one patient was trapped in their car and complained of neck pain and was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester.

The person in the other car was able to leave the vehicle unaided and uninjured.

James Parker, the branch manager at A-Plan insurance, said the crash illustrated the importance of insurance.

A sign on the board put over the broken window read: "Accidents can happen to the best of us. Are you properly covered? Pop in for a free, no obligation quote."

Mr Parker said it was a case of business as usual for the branch which opened at 9am despite the accident.

He received a call at 4.30am from police to let him know what had happened by which time the cars had already been removed.

It is the second time a car has crashed into the window of the business.

He said: "An accident on the junction usually involves someone going through the red light and because the buildings are in the way (at the crossroads) you can't see the road either way.

"You can't see to the left or right. It has happened before when a driver went through the corner window.

"It does show the importance of having insurance. The traffic signal camera is on a dangerous junction but isn't highlighted. It appears to be a catching device rather than a prevention device.

"The camera doesn't highlight the dangers of this junction and serves its purpose after the driver has already gone through the red light at which point it's too late."

Any witnesses can call West Mercia Police on 101quoting incident number 0041S of July 1.