A PENDLE man suffered a serious facial injury in a road accident early today.

Neil Turner, 40, was driving a silver Ford Fiesta in Bracewell Lane, Bracewell, near to New House Farm, shortly before 2.30am when the vehicle went out of control.

Colne-based traffic unit Sergeant Russ Gregory, said: "He lost control on a right-hand bend, mounted the nearside grass verge and the vehicle wedged in a farm gate entrance." Mr Turner, who lives in Bessie Street, Barnoldswick, suffered what police describe as a serious facial injury.

He was taken by ambulance to Burnley General Hospital and then transferred to Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

A passenger in the car, Paul David Owen, 38, of Ingleborough Drive, Barnoldswick, is also in hospital receiving treatment for injuries.

He suffered a dislocated and fracture to his right foot and has been detained in hospital.

In another early morning accident, just minutes after midnight, the drivers of two vehicles were hurt when they ran into a herd of cows on the Padiham by-pass.

Jack Tomlinson, 35, of Thirlmere Avenue, Burnley, was driving a Citroen Berlingo people carrier. He suffered a back injury and shock, but declined hospital treatment.

Abdul Karim, 30, of Gordon Street, Burnley, was driving a Vauxhall Cavalier, which also hit one of the cows.

Mr Karim suffered from shock but did not go to hospital.

One of the cows was killed.

The road was closed for about an hour while the other cows were rounded up and put safely into a field.