A car carrying six teenagers crashed in north Essex this morning leaving one of them fighting for his life.

Emergency services, including a volunteer Suffolk Accident and Rescue Service (SARS) doctor, were called to Nayland Road (A134) in Great Horkesley, near Colchester, just after 2.30am this morning after reports that a silver Volkswagen Golf had left the road.

It is believed that the car may have been travelling from the direction of Leavenheath.

The other five people in the car, aged between 13 and 18, have been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving while unfit through drink or drugs, failing to stop and failing to report a collision.

Nayland Road was closed from the junction between Boxted Church Road and Tog Lane and the junction of London Road for around ten hours while a crash investigation took place.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust said: “We were called at 2.22am with reports of a collision in Nayland Road, Great Horkesley.

“We sent the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), five ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, an ambulance officer and a volunteer doctor from the Suffolk Accident Rescue Service (SARS).

“Four patients were taken to Colchester General Hospital for further treatment, one of which was in a critical condition.”

Anyone with information, who may have driven past the car prior to the incident and has dash cam footage, or who lives in the area of Nayland Road and has CCTV available to view is asked to call police as a matter of urgency.

Please call 101, quoting the incident number 61 of 29/01.Alternatively, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org