A one-mile stretch of Queensway, running from South Shore to St Annes, was closed for more than six hours after the accident, at around 5.30pm yesterday.

One woman had to be cut from her car.

Three people had to be taken to hospital following the incident.

One off-duty fire fighter, who came to the rescue of a woman trapped in her car, described the scene as "shocking".

Pete Murray, a retained fire fighter at St Annes Fire Station, arrived at the scene seconds after the crash.

He said: "There was a torrential downpour, and as it finished, I saw there had been an accident.

"I thought there were just two cars involved, but when I got out, there were lots more, it was shocking.

"I had a look round the six cars and saw a woman in a Toyota was the most badly injured. She was complaining of neck and chest pains.

"I gave her basic first aid, and kept her stable. I held her head in place, as it would have been dangerous to move and she couldn't support it herself, as she was sitting upright.

"Somebody called the ambulance, and the fire crews from St Annes."

Firefighters had to cut the injured woman out of her car.

For the full story and more shocking pictures, read Tuesday's Gazette.