A MAN was fighting for his life last night following a single-vehicle road crash which left four others seriously injured.

The five, all from the Sunderland area, were hurt when their car careered off the A19 in North Yorkshire early yesterday.

Three of the men were thrown clear of the red Citroen Xsara when it left the road near the Crathorne turn-off, south of Stockton, just after 6am.

The vehicle crashed through a fence and rolled over as it went down an embankment, ending up in a field about 40ft from the road.

Firefighters freed one occupant who was trapped, and the injured were taken to hospital.

The condition of rear off-side passenger, Gary Noble, was described as critical by doctors last night at Middlesbrough General Hospital.

The remaining four were said be seriously hurt, but their conditions were described as stable.

They were the driver, Gary Mallon, 26, of Hartford Road, Sunderland, front-seat passenger Ian Fairweather, 34, of Fawn Road, Ford Estate, Sunderland, and the other rear passengers, Darren Wilson, 33, of Penn Square, Pennywell, and Richard Stakesby, 24, of Disraeli Street, Houghton-le-Spring.

Police in North Yorkshire are appealing for witnesses. Anyone who saw the car before or during the accident is asked to ring (01609) 783131.