THREE teenagers who were ‘fooling around’ after school were badly hurt in car accidents.

Durham Police have warned youngsters against high spirited games after two separate incidents in County Durham on Monday afternoon.

The first took place on Woodhouse Lane in Bishop Auckland at about 3.30pm which left a 15-year-old needing surgery.

The boy, from the town, had been messing about with friends by the roadside when he stumbled into the path of a Citroen Xsara.

He was rushed by ambulance to Darlington Memorial Hospital with a compound fracture to his right leg and facial injuries.

A Durham Police spokesman said: “Investigations established the teenager had no chance of avoiding the car and the driver had even less chance of avoiding him.”

An hour later on Burn Lane in Newton Aycliffe two boys were riding a BMX bike with no brakes.

The teenagers were making their way to Kings Drive through a gap in the hedge when they were hit by a Volkswagon Polo.

The 14-year-old riding the bike was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital with a cut head and broken nose where he remains for observation.

The 13-year-old, who was riding the handlebars, escaped with cuts to his leg.

Acting inspector John Arrowsmith, of the road policing unit, said the teenagers were lucky not to have been seriously hurt.

He said: “These two incidents serve to underline the very real dangers facing youngsters when they leave school.

“In Woodhouse Lane the group appeared to have been wrapped up in their high spirited actions and oblivious to the dangers immediately around them.

“The second incident demonstrated the folly and recklessness of riding machines when they have little or no capability of stopping.”