A TEENAGE girl suffered serious head and arm injuries in a collision involving a car on a main road through a village.

Police road incident investigators today appealed for information from witnesses to the accident, which took place on the A182 Front Street, in South Hetton, County Durham, last night.

The collision involved a grey Ford Mondeo vehicle, travelling along Front Street, and a 13-year-old female pedestrian who was crossing the road.

An ambulance ferried her to Sunderland Royal Hospital suffering a suspected broken left arm and serious head injuries.

She was said to be undergoing surgery for the fractured arm and cuts to her head today.

Police said the driver of the car, a local man, and his two female passengers, were not reported to have suffered any injuries and the car was not damaged.

The road was closed for around an hour after the accident, which took place at 7.40pm.

Anyone who saw it is asked to assist police inquiries by ringing the Durham force accident unit, on 0845-60 60 365.