THREE young men had a lucky escape after their car left the road, ploughed through a bridge parapet and ended up on its roof in a river.

The accident happened on Sunday afternoon in Coombe Bissett, as the Renault Clio was travelling towards Salisbury.

The driver and front-seat passenger were able to get out of the upturned car immediately, but a rear-seat passenger was trapped by his legs until firefighters and ambulance crews freed him.

All three were taken to hospital, where the rear-seat passenger was treated for a broken ankle, the driver for chest injuries and the front-seat passenger for cuts and bruises.

Police are not releasing the names of the men, who are between 18 and 20 years of age, but they are appealing for witnesses, particularly anyone who might have seen the car and how it was being driven immediately before the crash.

The accident happened between 4.30pm and 5pm, as the Renault came down the hill into Coombe Bissett and was negotiating the bends and the river bridge in the centre of the village.

See this week's Journal for the full story.