A woman has died after she was one of four people injured by a car in two separate collisions in Rochdale on Saturday.

The pedestrian was airlifted to hospital after the incident on Whitworth Road but died from her injuries, Greater Manchester police said.

Two miles away, on Woodgate Avenue, three pedestrians, including a child, were also hit by the car. All three suffered minor injuries and have been discharged from hospital.

A 49-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody. Police said the collisions, which took place at about 2.30pm on Saturday, were not being treated as terrorism-related.

John Webster, an assistant chief constable for GMP, said: “Firstly, our thoughts are with the family of the victim who has sadly lost their life in this tragic case. The actions of a single person have caused significant damage to the people of Rochdale.”

Addressing online speculation about the driver’s identity and ethnicity, Webster said: “The suspect is a white male currently in custody and no further details can be released at this time.”

He also stressed the collisions were unrelated to counter-terrorism activity in the area, after separate arrests were made in Rochdale on Saturday as part of a planned operation.

Webster added. “This incident caused significant disruption yesterday and I thank the public for their cooperation and understanding while our officers conducted their inquiries. We are committed to this investigation and have significant resources dedicated to it.

“To all those people affected by yesterday’s tragic events, community solidarity and unity is vital in times like these and especially for the families and friends of those impacted by this incident.”