A SECURITY van carrying nine prisoners has crashed on the A64 between York and Tadcaster.

The van overturned near Slice Lane, just east of Tadcaster, while carrying prisoners from Hull to a number of other prisons.

It was originally believed the van was the only vehicle in the accident, but it appears a black Peugeot car and a white Ford Connect van were also involved.

Nobody has been seriously injured but the A64 is closed between the A1237, York outer ring road, and the A162, leading to tailbacks of about six miles.

All prisoners were quickly accounted for and none escaped, said a spokesman for North Yorkshire Police. Three of them were taken to York Hospital, two with spinal injuries and one with chest injuries. The van driver has also been taken to York Hospital, with shoulder injuries. The uninjured prisoners have been returned to Hull Prison. Two other security workers on the van were uninjured.

Dozens of police officers were called to the crash-site, and six ambulances, two doctors and two paramedic response teams were also sent.

One of those caught up in the chaos, Rebecca Payne, said on twitter she had been stuck for two hours, while trying to return home to Doncaster from an open day at the University of York.

Another, Terry Madeley, said he set off from York at 5.20pm to get home to Leeds, but was still stuck in traffic at 8.05pm.

A third, Sarann Hudgell, said the normal 45-minute journey from York to Leeds had so far taken her two hours and 20 minutes.

Recovery vehicles have now arrived to clear the wreckage, and dozens of onlookers have gathered on bridges over the A64 to watch as events unfold.