A WOMAN and her five-year-old son are in hospital with serious injuries after the the car they were travelling in crashed into a wall near Crawshawbooth.

Francoise Clegg suffered serious head injuries in the accident discovered by a passing female motorist, which happened at 6.15pm on Saturday on the A682 Manchester Road at Dunnockshaw.

Her son, Alexander, was thrown from the car and found lying in a field next to the road. He suffered breaks to his wrist, leg and shoulder and is in a stable condition in Burnley General Hospital.

Today the 36-year-old mother, who lives in Parrock Street, Crawshawbooth, was in a stable condition in the Royal Preston Hospital.

She had to be cut free from the vehicle by firefighters and was taken to Burnley General Hospital but later transferred to the Royal Preston because of her injuries.

Their black Volkswagen Polo travelling towards Burnley ploughed into a stone wall and came to rest on a lamppost on a bend in the road.

PC Gavin Wesley of Colne Traffic police said: "Police travelling back to Rossendale from the Burnley v Derby County match made the emergency call after been flagged down by the woman motorist. The car was travelling from the direction of Crawshawbooth to Burnley when it crashed on a slight bend in the road.

"The child was thrown out of a vehicle and was found in a field next to the car."

"Both were taken to Burnley General Hospital. The child with breaks to his wrist, leg and shoulder and the woman was later transferred to the Royal Preston with serious head injuries.

"At this time investigations into the cause of the accident are still going on."

Anyone with any information regarding the incident should contact PC Wesley at Colne Traffic Police on 01282 472542.