Updated: TWO women were taken to hospital and thousands of motorists experienced long delays, after a crash on York’s outer ring road.

The accident happened at about 5.30pm on Saturday, when a Citroen and a Volkswagen collided on the westbound carriageway of the A64, between Bishopthorpe and Copmanthorpe, close to the junction of the A1237.

Fire crews, police and paramedics attended the scene, where one woman in each vehicle had been injured, and the road was closed for nearly five hours.

A fire brigade spokesman said one woman was taken to hospital for a precautionary checkup, but another had been trapped in her vehicle, and had to be rescued by crews using hydraulic cutting equipment to free her.

She was then taken to York Hospital by road ambulance with suspected arm and rib injuries.

A police spokeswoman said neither woman was required to stay overnight in hospital, and both were discharged on Saturday evening.

The incident also left traffic at a standstill leading up to the scene, and motorists were forced to take a diversion via the A1036 or face heavy queues.

Two other cars also collided in the tailbacks caused by the first accident, but nobody was thought to have been injured in that collision.

One motorist said the traffic backed up along the A64 from Copmanthorpe as far as the A19 turn-off for Fulford.

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Police said the road was closed from 5.30pm until about 10.15pm, to allow the vehicles to be recovered.