A woman in her 70s was taken to hospital with serious injuries after being trapped in the wreckage of her car following a collision at Sawbridgeworth on Thursday evening (February 1).

All three emergency services attended the crash scene on the main A1184 Harlow Road by the junction with High Wych Road opposite Pishiobury Park shortly before 5.15pm.

According to Hertfordshire Constabulary, two cars were involved: a white Peugeot 208 and a white Ford Ka Zetec.

The Ford driver, a woman in her 70s, was trapped in the car and needed to be released by the fire and rescue service. She was taken to hospital by ambulance with serious injuries, according to a Hertfordshire Constabulary spokeswoman.

The driver of the Peugeot, a man in his 50s, was believed to be slightly injured.

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called at 5.25pm, 10 minutes after police were alerted.

Two fire engines, from Sawbridgeworth and Bishop’s Stortford fire stations, were sent to the scene.

Crews stabilised the vehicles and used cutting equipment to release the trapped Ford driver. They gave the Peugeot driver medical checks.

Police closed the road at High Wych Lane and Hand Lane and put in a closure by the Hand and Crown pub, High Wych Road, just after 5.30pm. The road was closed for more than three hours and was reopened at 8.50pm.

Traffic soon built up on neighbouring roads. On a Sawbridgeworth Facebook forum, it was described as “bumper to bumper” on High Wych Lane, at a “total standstill” on West Road – where there was a report of another accident – and drivers emerging from Brook Road were prevented by police from turning left towards Harlow.