FIRE crews were called to help free a man who became stuck in an overturned car this morning.

At around 5.30am emergency services attended an incident off the M66 near the junction with the A56 at Edenfield.

The car, a Skoda, had come off the motorway and travelled a short distance up the embankment.

Crew manager Saul Hickey said: "When we got there we found an overturned car. There was just one vehicle involved.

"It had come off the motorway and up the banking.

"It was a taxi and he had just done a run to the airport."

The driver, who was the only person in the car, was conscious and breathing when fire crews attended but he was put on a spinal board by paramedics.

Fire crews were on scene for around half an hour. Crews from Rawtenstall Fire Station also attended.