A car has crashed into the corner of a pub and burst into flames.

Fire crews were called to the White Lion on York Street in Heywood, Rochdale, at about 03:15 BST, after the vehicle smashed into the building.

The wall has collapsed on the corner of the pub, with smoke damage visible from the street.

Greater Manchester Police urged motorists to avoid the area and said the road was likely to be closed “for some time”.

The force has not yet confirmed the extent of the driver’s injuries.

Eyewitnesses told BBC Radio Manchester they were shocked by the incident, and said you could still see the vehicle inside the building.

Some gathered outside the police cordon said the crash was “terrible”, and it was “distressing” to see the state of a “very popular pub”.

Others described the corner of York Road where the pub sits as a “busy, dangerous area”, where accidents have previously occurred.

Four fire engines came to the scene in the centre of Heywood in the early hours, with crews using breathing equipment and hose jets to put out the blaze.

The area has been completely cordoned off by police as emergency services continue to work in the area.