TWO accidents on roads near York left both a 12-year-old cyclist and a man with serious head injuries.

The accidents happened within minutes of each other late on Saturday afternoon, the first involving a cyclist on the B1363 Wigginton Road and the second involving five cars on the A64 between York and Malton.

North Yorkshire Police said on Saturday evening that the young cyclist, who was taken to York Hospital, had suffered a life-threatening injury when he was in collision with a car at 4.50pm on the B1363 close to Creepy Crawlies play centre, just north of the junction with the A1237 York Outer Ring Road.

A force spokesman said yesterday morning that the youngster had suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain, but it was no longer considered life threatening.

A spokeswoman said last night that the 12-year-old, who was from the Leeds area, was taken to York Hospital but later transferred to Leeds General Infirmary.

"The driver of the car, a 61-year- old local man, was uninjured," she said, adding that his Seat car had been travelling from the A1237 ring road roundabout towards Wigginton when the accident happened.

"We are keen to trace any witnesses to the collision as I understand the road was busy at the time. We are also keen to trace a passing doctor who stopped to help the injured boy prior to ambulance attending."

Any witnesses are asked to contact TC1605 Lee Cobb, of the Tadcaster Road Policing Group.

The road was closed until 10pm while officers examined the scene.

The five-vehicle crash happened on the A64 near the Jinnah Restaurant just after 5pm.

Three people were seriously injured, with the most serious being a man with head injuries, who was taken to Leeds General Infirmary. Police said yesterday that his injuries were not considered life-threatening.

The A64 was closed in both directions after the crash, with traffic diverted via Flaxton, but it re-opened after several hours.

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said several crews were sent to the scene and freed a man and a woman who were trapped in two of the damaged vehicles.