A 22 year old man has appeared before Blackburn magistrates and admitted driving offences arising from a police pursuit in Stacksteads on Saturday.

The court was given details of the "horrific" and life changing injuries suffered by two female passengers who were trapped in the car when Nathan Lee Ellsworth ran off.

Parvenu Akhtar prosecuting, said Jemma Tatton, 26, was still in an induced coma.

She said Miss Tatton suffered a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain, a fractured pelvis, her left leg was broken in two places and she had fractured vertebrae.

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Gemma Dyson, 34, the defendant's girlfriend, suffered a fracture to bone in her neck and two broken ribs. Her left foot was broken and the skin completely stripped off it.

Elsworth, 22, of Branch Street, Stacksteads, pleaded guilty to two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, unlawful taking of a Mercedes car aggravated by dangerous driving, failing to stop and failing to report an accident, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. He was sent in custody to be sentenced on August 4.

The court heard police gave chase after seeing the stolen car in Whitworth Road.

There was a 10 minute pursuit before the Mercedes crashed into the wall of a house in Plantation Street.

Ellsworth fled from the scene on foot leaving the two women trapped in the vehicle. He was later arrested at his grandmother's home.

Richard Prew, defending, said the injuries to at least one of the women was life threatening and his client accepted all matters would have to go to the Crown Court.