TWO people were taken to hospital after a crash on a country road in North Yorkshire this morning.

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said the accident happened on the Stillington to Easingwold road at 9.16am and involved a van and a coach.

A spokesman said crews from Easingwold and Huntington were called and a man was extricated from the van.

North Yorkshire Police tweeted that an air ambulance helicopter had been called to a 'serious RTC' on West Lane, as well as an ambulance, fire engines and police.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service said it understood the crash involved a van and a minibus.

It said two rapid response vehicles, two ambulances, a doctor and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance were sent to the scene, and two casualties were taken by road ambulance to York Hospital. It could not comment on the extent of their injuries.

North Yorkshire Police said officers were called by the ambulance service at 9.11am to reports of a serious collision near West Lane in Stillington between a van and a large minibus.

A spokeswoman said the driver of a vehicle was extracted and taken to York Hospital by land ambulance with serious but not life threatening injuries.

She said the road was closed at both the Huby and Stillington sides of the road, and the highways department had been requested due to a spillage on the road.