A pair of pensioners crashed into a lamppost this lunchtime after the driver apparently lost consciousness.

Coombe Lane in Raynes Park was closed in both directions after an accident at the junction with Cambridge Road, at about 12.40pm.

It is understood a car veered into a lamppost and the Fire Brigade had to cut the roof off the car, a red Nissan Micra, to rescue the driver and one passenger.

Paramedics treated a 92-year-old man for chest pains and an 86-year-old woman for head injuries, before both were taken as a priority to St George's Hospital in Tooting.

Ray Foster, green watch manager at New Malden fire station, said: “It appears the driver lost consciousness and veered across the road, narrowly missing a bus stop.

“The car clipped a lamppost and then swung round, wedging itself between the lamppost and a wall.

“The lamppost was quite badly damaged and we had to close the road as it was in quite a precarious position.

“It took about 15 minutes to take the roof off. Once it was off, we extricated the passengers from the car using long boards.

“The crews worked really quickly and really well. It was a good co-ordinated approach to the extrication and we got them out as quickly as we could.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said no other cars were involved and both the victims had been taken to a south London hospital.

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