Published: Friday, 22nd January, 2010 11:06am

Crash driver suffers spine injury

A WOMAN suffered spinal injuries after the car she was driving skidded on an "exceptionally" icy road and landed in a field in Peeblesshire at the weekend.

She was travelling in a dark Suzuki 4x4 on the A703 outside Peebles when the incident occurred just before midnight on Saturday.

Firefighters raced to the scene and had to use specialised cutting equipment to release the injured driver from her vehicle.

Once freed she was then rushed to the Borders General Hospital with spinal injuries, while her passenger escaped unharmed.

Jan Haydock, who runs Winkston Farm next to where the incident occurred, said: "My husband and I were driving along the road around midnight when we saw the emergency services' flashing lights.

"A car seemed to have hit the fence and gone straight through into the field, it was a black or dark 4x4.

"The road was gritted but it was very icy, I think it was -1C, and this is such an accident prone spot."

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: "We attended a road traffic incident involving a single car on the A703 in Peebles near to the Rosetta Caravan Park.

"The car had come off the road and there were two casualties reported, a female with possibly spinal injuries and another patient uninjured.

"Both casualties were conscious and breathing, and one patient was taken to Borders General.

"The crew requested a gritter because the road was exceptionally icy."

One local resident said: "As a result of the thaw, the water just runs off the hill and right across the road.

"With the recent freezing temperatures it was only a matter of time before an accident occurred. The patch she skidded on was like glass."

A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue said: "We attended a road traffic accident involving one car on the A703 outside Winkstone Farm in Peebles.

"One female was removed from the vehicle and taken to the Borders General Hospital with spinal injuries."