FIVE people were taken to hospital following a "serious collision" on the A19.

Five ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, a doctor and an air ambulance team were all called to the two-vehicle collision on the northbound carriageway, which occurred at the Kirby Sigston turn off near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, at around 11.51am on Saturday.

A Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokeswoman said that four of the people involved were taken to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, while the other was taken to the Leeds General Infirmary.

It is believed they are suffering with a mixture of head injuries and sternum pain, although the severity of the injuries are not yet known, the spokeswoman added.

The northbound carriageway was closed for several hours while the scene was investigated by police.

Police and fire crews spent around six hours at the scene of the incident.

The crash involved two cars, one of which ended up embedded in the fence outside the old Haynes Arms pub, which is closed at present.

In recent years, the junction has been the scene of several serious collisions.

At around 6.30pm North Yorkshire Police said the A19 near Kirby Sigston had reopened following investigations.