The scene in Market Drayton after a car crashed into the town hall.

A man and a woman who were knocked down when a car crashed into a north Shropshire town hall are a married couple in their 60s.

Townspeople named ex-teacher Gerald Sabin and his wife Anne, of Market Drayton, as the pair hurt when a Vauxhall Astra ploughed into Market Drayton Town Hall on Tuesday.

They have been named locally by wellwishers.

Mrs Sabin suffered serious head injuries when she was pinned underneath the car, which smashed a hole in the town hall wall.

She was freed by firefighters from Market Drayton, Hodnet, Shrewsbury and Wellington using airbags to lift the vehicle so paramedics could treat her.

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Shrewsbury fire station manager Mark Weaver said: “Crews arrived at the scene and got to work on the man, giving first aid and jacked the car up using airbags and pulled out the lady. Our crews helped paramedics to administer first aid.”

Police said today Mrs Sabin remains in a “critical but stable” condition in the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.

Mr Sabin suffered head and shoulder injuries and was treated at the Princess Royal Hospital, Telford.

Mr Sabin, a former Grove School teacher who uses a wheelchair after a stroke, was being pushed by his wife when the accident happened.

West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman Chris Kowalik said an off-duty community first res- ponder helped treat the couple. He said: “She didn’t ha- ve her kit with her but managed to stabilise the male patient and was praised for her efforts by the police, fire and ambulance staff.”

Constable Warren Rutter, of Market Drayton Police, urged any witnesses to the accident to call police on 03003 333000.