A FIVE-CAR pile up on the A64 left nine people injured and caused rush-hour chaos for hundreds of motorists.

The accident happened on the eastbound carriageway just after 6.30pm last night, just east of the Bishopthorpe Road fly-over.

Six people were taken to York Hospital, and a further three treated at the scene, but a Yorkshire Ambulance spokesman said none of the injuries were serious.

There were tailbacks for several miles eastbound on the A64, as police and paramedics attended to the accident. The road was closed briefly while the damaged vehicles were moved, but was open again after 30 minutes.

The ambulance spokesman said five vehicles were involved, and they had sent five vehicles of their own to the scene.

He described all of the injured as "walking wounded".

Sergeant Jeremy Wilkinson of York Police said: "There was an accident involving five cars. We attended and arranged recovery for three vehicles."

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said they had initially been called to the scene, in case any victims were trapped, but had not been needed.