TWO people were airlifted to hospital with serious injuries following a car crash near Escrick.

The accident happened at 2.55pm yesterday, about a mile outside the village on the road to Skipwith and involved a Subaru and a Honda car.

The vehicles were travelling in opposite directions and appeared to have collided on a bend, scattering debris in all directions and sending the Subaru off the road.

The emergency services were called and firefighters from Selby, York and Acomb cut the driver of the Subaru, a local man, out of the car while colleagues stood by with a hose in case the vehicle caught fire.

The driver, who police have not named, was taken to York Hospital by air ambulance suffering from chest injuries.

The passenger in the Honda, a woman in her 60s, was also cut out by firefighters and was flown to Leeds General Infirmary with what police described as serious leg injuries.

The driver of the Honda was taken to York Hospital by road ambulance.

A spokesman for the fire service said he was suffering from an angina attack. The couple are not believed to be from North Yorkshire, but at the time of going to press police had not confirmed which part of the country they were from.

Crash investigators spent the rest of the afternoon and evening at the scene.

The road was expected to be closed until 8pm and local diversions were in place.

Witnesses to the accident or anyone who saw either vehicle before the crash is asked to contact TC Steve James at Tadcaster Roads Policing Unit on 0845 6060247.