A bus driver who was involved in a three-car crash which resulted in firefighters cutting one woman free from crushed wreckage has spoken of his shock at managing to walk away from his destroyed vehicle.

Melvyn Wright, 61, of Wightman Street, Barkerend, was heading home yesterday, on Otley Road at 2.15pm, when it is believed the tyre of his Suzuki Jeep blew, sending his car careering into the path of a silver Proton on the opposite side of the road.

He claimed his airbag then blew, and he was in collision with a blue Skoda, which was just three weeks old.

The woman passenger in that car, believed to be in her 40s, was cut free by firefighters and transported to BRI. Her injuries are not believed to be serious.

“I was shook up,” Mr Wright said. “It is such bad luck.

“People tell me they heard a loud bang prior to me colliding with the silver car. I think my front wheel had a blow out,” he said. “I was coming round the corner and collided with the silver car and then people say they heard a bang prior to that happening.

“Then my airbag went off and I didn’t even see the other car. I cannot believe it.

“I am stunned. The driver of the blue Skoda was okay, but his wife suffered from a heart condition so they needed to get her out. I have a sore knee and hurt a bit where my seatbelt was.”

The road was closed by police for three hours while the wreckage was cleared.

Kevin House, who runs the Bradford House Clearance centre, right next to the crash site, said that his son heard a loud bang and ran out to see what caused it.

“Everyone was crowded round and people were trying to drive through,” he said.

“My son said that there was shouting and panicking because of what had happened, but the drivers involved managed to get out of their cars. The woman was conscious as they freed her from her car, but I would say all three cars were written off.”

A police spokesman said that they were called at 2.15pm along with the Fire Service and paramedics.