THREE people were seriously injured and needed to be airlifted to hospital after two motorcycles crashed on a country road.

The Honda motorbikes collided at just after 2.10pm on Sunday in Rivington Road, between Belmont and Rivington.

One was being ridden by a man and the other was being ridden by a man with a female pillion passenger.

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All three suffered "serious injuries" – understood to be various fractures of the shoulder, back, arm and ankles – and were flown by air ambulance to Royal Preston Hospital in Preston.

Two of the casualties were deemed to be 'major trauma' patients and required immediate assistance at A&E on arrival.

One witness posted online: "I came across the scene of this collision soon after it occurred. Two bikes were involved.

"One rider was sat up and talking with cuts and bruises.

"The other bike involved had two people on it — a male rider with female passenger.

"She was lay in road with helmet on but talking well with slight injuries.

"The male rider was lay at the side of the road and, although talking, was in considerable pain."

Paramedics from North West Ambulance Service were first on the scene and called Lancashire Constabulary for assistance 15 minutes after arriving.

Police officers shut Rivington Road and Sheep House Lane in Rivington until 7.20pm.

It is not clear if the injured motorcyclists knew one another and were travelling as a group or were strangers.

A spokeswoman for Lancashire Constabulary said: "We were called at 2.25pm on Sunday to a collision involving two motorcycles and three casualties in which the road was blocked.

"It appears as thought all three have suffered fractured bones.

"Enquiries are ongoing to establish exactly how the collision happened. There have been no arrests."