A MAN is fighting for his life after suffering serious head injuries when his car was hit by a stolen car.

The un-named 33-year-old man, from Seaham, County Durham, is on a life support machine at Newcastle General Hospital where his condition is critical.

The man is married and his wife is keeping vigil at his bedside.

Police have launched a major enquiry into the incident and are hunting three people who ran from the stolen car, apparently unhurt.

The accident happened at 9.55pm on Friday night in Princess Road, Seaham.

The stolen car, a Vauxhall Cavalier, was heading south at some speed when it ran into the back of the injured man's Peugeot 206. The Peugeot was forced onto the other side of the road where it collided with a Ford Mondeo taxi travelling in the opposite direction before hitting a garden wall.

The stolen vehicle then collided with two parked vehicles. It is believed that three people ran off from the stolen car. Firefighters had to cut free the Peugeot driver from the wreckage of his badly damaged vehicle.

The taxi driver needed hospital treatment for a leg and a hand injury. Two female passengers suffered minor injuries.

It is believed the injured driver was freed from the wreckage by firefighters and that three other people were injured. The Cavalier had been stolen from Duke Street in Seaham.

Princess Road was closed for three-and-a-half hours.

Police have set up an incident room at Seaham police station. Uniformed, CID and accident investigation officers are working together on the case.

Inspector Alan Hutchinson, of the Durham force's accident investigation unit, said: "We are treating this as a major incident.

"We are dealing with this matter with the utmost urgency and diligence and we using all the resources available to detect this offence, because it is very serious.''

Insp Hutchinson said the injured man's family were devastated.

"We have got about a dozen witnesses but we want to identify the people in the stolen car.''

Anyone with information should call the accident investigation unit on 0191-386 4929 or Seaham police station on 0191-581 2255.

People can also give information anonymously to Crimestoppers on (0800) 555 111.