TWO people were taken to hospital after their car smashed into a tree in Whitworth Road.

The collision left the two men trapped inside their vehicle until they were freed by firefighters using hydraulic cutting gear.

The men, who have not been named, remained conscious throughout the rescue and their injuries are not thought to be serious.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash, which happened just before 8pm last night.

Fire crews from Swindon, Stratton and Westlea attended the scene in Rodbourne Cheney, along with police and ambulance services.

The car, a blue Renault Megane, was travelling from the Moonrakers roundabout in Pinehurst in the direction of Moredon.

After slamming into the tree on the left-hand side of the road, the vehicle came to a rest pointing in the direction from which it had come.

The impact caused the driver's side of the car to crumple and shattered its windows.

Witness Tony Watkins, whose Whitworth Road house looks on to the scene of the accident, watched the crash happen from a window.

"I was on my computer upstairs when I heard this skidding noise," he said.

"I saw the car come down the road at an angle.As he hit the verge he span around and hit the tree and it made a loud bang. My wife got on the phone and rang the ambulance straight away. It turned up pretty quickly, and then the fire and police turned up.

"It took a matter of minutes to cut them out and they were carried to an ambulance on stretchers."

The two men were taken to Great Western Hospital in Marlborough Road.

WPC Carly Stevenson, of Swindon Police, said: "The vehicle has lost control and spun 180 degrees and ended up hitting the tree.

"The male occupants were cut from the vehicle by the fire crew that attended the scene."

Police are investigating the incident and witnesses are asked to call Swindon traffic police on 01793 528111.