Firefighters had to cut a woman out of a Peugeot 206 after the accident, which happened at around 8.15am at the traffic lights near the Hazelrigg Lane junction of the A6.

Watch manager Kevin Hugginson, said the woman, who works at the university, had complained of a loss of feeling in her legs. He said they had put her on a spinal board as a precaution before she was taken by paramedics to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Mr Hugginson said he believed there had been a collision involving a sports car and her Peugeot, causing the driver of a Renault Cleo to hit the traffic lights after swerving to avoid the other two cars.

The other two drivers were both able to get out of their vehicles unaided. An ambulance spokeswoman said that although one was taken to the RLI along with the woman she believed neither were seriously injured.

"I would have thought it looked worse than it was," added Mr Hugginson. "The Renault knocked over the traffic light stanchion, it was bent right over, and the front of the car looked a right mess.

"The three cars will be write-offs."