Four people have been killed in a devastating collision between a car and a taxi in Bolton, Greater Manchester, in the early hours of Sunday morning. The crash, which occurred just before 12:45am on Wigan Road, also left five other passengers injured and requiring hospital treatment.
Details of the Fatal Collision
Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a red Seat Leon and a Citroën C4 Picasso taxi were involved in the serious incident. The driver of the Seat and two of its passengers, alongside the driver of the Citroën taxi, all tragically lost their lives at the scene. Formal identification is ongoing, but authorities believe that three teenagers are among the deceased.
Emergency services, including three fire engines and a technical response unit, were called to Wigan Road at approximately 12:50am. Firefighters used cutting equipment to free those trapped in the vehicles before handing them over to the North West Ambulance Service. A police cordon was established, and crews remained at the location for around two hours.
Eyewitness Account and Police Appeal
A local resident reported hearing a "very loud bang" at exactly 12:44am. The witness described hearing a woman, who was a pedestrian and saw the accident happen, screaming loudly. "She was a pedestrian who saw the accident happen in front of her eyes and started running in the opposite direction of the accident … The police had to stop and pull her back because she was close to fainting," they told The Bolton News.
Greater Manchester Police have now launched a urgent appeal for information. The force's Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) wants to hear from anyone who saw the vehicles prior to the crash, witnessed the incident itself, or has relevant dashcam or CCTV footage.
How to Contact Investigators
Officers have provided the following contact details for anyone with information:
- Contact the SCIU directly on 0161 856 4741, quoting log number 111 of 11/01/2025.
- Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The investigation into the precise circumstances of the fatal accident on Wigan Road continues as police work to piece together the events that led to this tragic loss of life.
