TWO drivers were seriously injured when a car and a bus collided on the A19 near Tollerton at the end of yesterday’s rush hour.

Police closed the road for several hours while they dealt with the incident.

Other motorists hindered the emergency services at the scene by moving cones that were blocking the road and continuing to drive on the closed stretch of road.

North Yorkshire Police had to put out a warning to drivers.

They also appealed for witnesses to contact them.

Passengers in the bus were uninjured, but the bus driver had to be airlifted to hospital. Paramedics tended to the car driver at the scene.

The extent of his injuries and his condition are not known.

The crash happened near Tollerton at about 6pm.

The car was heading north towards Thirsk and the bus was heading towards York.

There were three passengers on the bus.

Firefighters were called to help rescue the bus driver, who was trapped in his vehicle.

He was taken to Leeds General infirmary by air ambulance.

Police shut the road and set up diversions so that they could carry out inquiries at the scene and move the vehicles.

One-and-a-half hours after the crash, North Yorkshire Police sent out a message to all drivers using the A19: “Drivers, don’t move the cones and carry on driving, having to deal with cars turning up slows getting the road open”.

They urged motorists to use alternative routes and check traffic reports.

A mobile police office was sent to the scene to provide shelter and support for the stranded pedestrians.

During the evening there were sudden very sharp rain showers in York.