A man was killed and a woman fought for her life when a car was thrown into the air in an “absolute carnage” crash

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A man has died and a woman is fighting for her life after a horrific accident on one of Birmingham’s busiest streets.

The man who was driving the red Mazda was killed when his car crashed into a silver Mercedes in the West Midlands.

Police confirmed a man in his 60s died while his wife was critically injured but stable. The driver of the Mercedes was also taken to the hospital.

Shocking images show the wreckage of the overturned Mazda while the Mercedes can be seen about 50 yards away in parkland on the other side of the seven-lane highway.

Emergency services were called to the A45 Coventry Road in the Yardley borough just before 7pm on Friday, with the road not reopening until just after 10am this morning.

West Midlands Police described the crash as “very serious” and told locals: “Our priorities are caring for the people involved and identifying their loved ones.”

A shop worker described the scene as “absolute carnage” and said the Mazda “was blown up”.

He said: “I’ve never seen anything like it. How anyone got out of the red car is beyond me.

“This street is like a racetrack at the best of times. It’s just so sad.”

Another eyewitness said they were shaken by the “terrible” impact.

They said: “I have lived here for 10 years and this is the worst incident I have ever seen. It shook me.

“My son saw a car land on its roof. The other car was in Pocket Park, which is a small passage, a patch of grass. I called the ambulance myself. There were three fire engines, three ambulances, two rapid response vehicles and around a dozen police cars blocking the road.

“You have worked very hard. It was a bustle of people.”

The road was scheduled to remain closed this morning (SAT) while forensics searched for leads. Investigators also attempted to retrieve footage of the crash.

Police said in a statement: “We are working hard to understand what happened.

“We’ve already spoken to some people who saw what happened and have begun to identify security cameras that may have recorded the crash.

“If you live or work in the area, please check your CCTV, dashcam and doorbell footage. Do not share these images online. Please think of those affected.”

West Midlands Police’s DS Chris Ridge said: “Our investigation into this collision is still in its early stages and we are working to determine exactly what happened at the moments that led to the tragic death of this man.

“His family is being assisted by specialized officials in processing this terrible news.

“We would also like to thank everyone for their patience as the road was temporarily closed overnight. Since then they have all reopened.

“We are asking anyone with information who witnessed the accident or who has seen either the white Mercedes or the red Mazda shortly before. If you have dashcam or CCTV footage, we also urge you to contact us.”