THREE people yesterday admitted involvement in a hit-and-run accident which left a motorist fighting for his life.

Kulvir Singh, 33, suffered serious head injuries after his Peugeot car was shunted from behind, forcing it into the path of an oncoming taxi in Princess Road, Seaham, County Durham.

Mr Singh, of Deneside, Seaham, was on the critical list in intensive care at Newcastle General Hospital for several days after the accident.

The driver of the taxi, a Ford Mondeo, and two passengers also suffered lesser injuries as a result of the collision, shortly before 10pm on Friday, January 11.

Three people, who either gave themselves up or were arrested in the Seaham area over the following week, appeared before Durham Crown Court yesterday when they admitted being in the Vauxhall Cavalier involved.

The Cavalier, taken earlier that evening in Seaham, went on to collide with two parked cars before being abandoned by the three occupants.

Jason John Harland, 21, admitted aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, failing to stop after, and report, an accident, and having no insurance.

Stuart James Smith, 20, and a 15-year-old co-accused both admitted allowing themselves to be carried in a vehicle taken in aggravated circumstances.

The court was told Harland had a number of past convictions and was on licence after early release from a previous prison sentence at the time of the incident.

His barrister, Robert Woodcock, said the "inevitable" sentence would be measured in "years" on top of the outstanding 15 months from the previous term, for burglary.

Mr Woodcock said: "This was probably one of the worst cases of aggravated vehicle taking that we have had to defend."

Adjourning sentence for probation reports, Judge Michael Cartlidge described it as, "an exceedingly bad piece of vehicle taking".

He warned Harland and Smith to expect custodial sentences. Harland, of no fixed address, and Smith, of Marlborough, Seaham, were remanded in custody.

The 15-year-old was bailed to return for sentence, with his older co-accused, in three weeks