A WOMAN is seriously ill in hospital after her car collided head-on with a police van responding to an emergency call.

The 25-year-old woman, from Thornaby, near Stockton, suffered multiple fractures to her arms and a fractured pelvis in the head-on smash in the early hours of Saturday.

She was taken to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, where her condition was yesterday described as serious, but stable.

Her 24-year-old male passenger, also from Thornaby, suffered facial injuries, and was also detained in hospital and is receiving treatment for an injured eye socket.

The driver of the police van suffered whiplash and cuts to his hands, and was released from hospital later that morning.

The crash happened at about 2.15am on Saturday on Newport Bridge Approach Road, close to the A19 flyover, as the police van was responding to an emergency call.

The van was travelling towards the Portrack roundabout when it was in collision with the Peugeot 207, which was travelling in the opposite direction, towards Newport Bridge.

The road was closed from the Newport roundabout to Portrack roundabout for several hours, as accident investigators searched the area for evidence to try to piece together what had happened in the seconds leading up to the crash.

The road later re-opened at about 8.45am on Saturday.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said: “Cleveland Police can confirm a road traffic accident occurred in the early hours involving a police vehicle and another privatelyowned vehicle.

“One occupant from the privately- owned vehicle is at The James Cook University Hospital with serious injuries.

The passenger is still in hospital for observations for a slight injury to an eye socket.

“Witnesses to the incident, or anyone with information, is asked to contact Sergeant Alex Campbell.

“The circumstances of this incident are being investigated and the matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Acting Sergeant Campbell on 01642- 301552.