FOUR casualties were taken to hospital after two cars collided on a busy Northumberland road.

People travelling on the A1068, north of Warkworth, faced long delays when part of the road was closed for nearly four hours.

Emergency services were called to the crash, involving a Ford Focus and a Volkswagon Golf, at around 6.45am yesterday.

Three people travelling in the Ford Focus were taken to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, with their injuries not thought to be life-threatening.

A woman, travelling in the back seat, was airlifted to hospital by the Sea King helicopter from RAF Boulmer with serious leg injuries. Last night her injuries were described as “serious but not life threatening”.

Two men, the driver and a front-seat passenger, suffered injuries not thought to be serious. They were taken to hospital via ambulance.

Meanwhile, the driver of the Golf, a man, was taken to Wansbeck Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

It is not yet known how the accident happened but the road was closed by police at 7am and was reopened at 10.50am.

Drivers travelling along the A1068 faced delays following the crash.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “The road was reopened at 10.50am. Some casualties suffered serious injuries but they are not thought to be life- threatening.”

Fire crews from Alnwick and Amble were called to the scene but left just after 8am.

A Northumberland Fire spokeswoman described two of the passengers as “walking wounded”.

The Sea King, flown by pilot Andy Doyle, landed on the road before airlifting the woman, who was treated by paramedics at the scene, to hospital.

An RAF Boulmer spokeswoman said they had arrived at the site of the crash at around 7.15am before leaving at 7.30am.