Car flips on to roof but passengers escape uninjured

Two Bellevue women had to be cut free from their silver Sedan after their car hit a tractor and rolled on 11th Ave early yesterday. The crash happened near the junction of 11th Ave and Waihi Rd on-ramp about 8.05am. Firefighters cut the car's roof off, after it had flipped over, to free the trapped women, a 52-year-old woman and her 22-year-old daughter who was driving. Neither of the women were seriously injured. Both women were taken to Tauranga Hospital as a precaution. Both lanes of the highway were closed for about 20-30 minutes. One resident, who lives opposite the crash scene, told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend she was relieved to see one of the occupants waving her hand from inside the car, moments before emergency services arrived. Acting Senior Sergeant Wayne Hunter said the tractor driver was uninjured.