A MOTHER remains in hospital after suffering serious injuries in a hit and run road collision on Sunday.

Police were called to Laurel Road, near Chilton, at about 1.30pm following reports of two Vauxhall Corsa cars colliding.

A third car was also at the scene and the driver of the first vehicle, an 18-year-old male, got inside and fled the area, leaving the occupants of the other Corsa, a family, trapped inside their car. He later attended University Hospital of North Durham suffering from minor injuries.

Firefighters, including a special rescue unit from Bishop Auckland, were called and freed a 34-year-old woman from the wreckage.

The woman, who was travelling in the passenger seat, suffered multiple fractures and internal bleeding. She was transported to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough by the Great North Air Ambulance Service, where she condition on arrival was described as stable.

The driver, understood to be the woman’s husband, suffered minor injuries and was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital by paramedics, along with two children, reportedly a nine-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl.

The man and the boy are understood to have been discharged, while the girl is believed to have been transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.

Following the collision, the road, which links Chilton to Chilton Lane, was closed for several hours.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or has any information is asked to contact Durham Police on 101, quoting incident number 224 of December 3.