A woman has died after crashing her car into a pub building.

The woman, who was in her 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene after her car smashed into the side of the Swan Indian Restaurant on Market Street in Bacup.

A spokesperson for the police said: "We were called at 9am on Thursday to reports of a collision on Market Street in Bacup.

"A car had collided with a building.

"The Air Ambulance was called but sadly the driver of the car, a woman in her 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene."

The incident is thought to have taken place at around 8.50am.

Emergency services including the air ambulance were sent to the scene but the woman,who was trapped in her car, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokesperson for the ambulance service said: "We were called at 8.53am to a crash involving one vehicle.

"The air ambulance was sent to the scene but the patient was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital via road ambulance."

Two fire engines from Bacup fire station were called to the scene to help free the woman from the car.

A spokesperson for the fire service said: "We were called to an RTC involving one car which has gone into the side of a pub.

"The woman was trapped in her car and we used cutting gear to release her from the vehicle.

"There were no other passengers in the car."

At 10am, one fire engine remained at the scene awaiting building assessment officers.

The spokesperson continued: "There is damage to the building due to the impact of the crash and one crew remains at the scene awaiting building control."

Rick Murray, who sent the Telegraph a video of the air ambulance landing said: "I passed the red car this morning just as the first ambulance arrived. The car was embedded into the Swan Indian restaurant.

"I hope the woman is ok."

Market Street was closed in both directions at Manor Street.

Anyone with information can call police on 101, quoting log reference 0288 of February 20.