A CHILD suffered critical injuries last night in a three-car collision on the A1.

North Yorkshire Police said the child, whose age is not known, was among three people injured in the incident at 10.35pm.

It happened on the northbound carriageway, beside the B6275 Barton junction, between Scotch Corner and Darlington.

A police spokesman said the child was being treated at the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, for life-threatening injuries, while its mother had also received hospital treatment.

The incident involved a black Vauxhall Tigra, whose driver was taken to hospital with possible head injuries, a black Peugeot 407 with five occupants including the mother and child, and a silver Nissan Micra.

Fire crews from Richmond, Colburn and Darlington attended the scene.

Police closed the A1 between the Scotch Corner and Darlington junctions until 7am today (Sunday, January 12) to enable accident investigators to examine the scene.

Anyone who saw any of the vehicles before the incident should call TC Martin Smith on 101.