A HORROR crash left three people with life-threatening injuries and a baby needing hospital treatment.

Emergency services were called to the A414, Maldon bypass, at about 2.40pm on Friday, where a black Ford Kuga and a white Ford Transit had collided in the carriageway.

Three air ambulances, two ambulance officer vehicles and four ambulances were rushed to the scene.

Fire crews from Maldon, Chelmsford and Basildon were called and helped release the causalities from their vehicles.

A man in his 50s and a woman, who were both in the van, were taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The Ford Kuga driver, a woman in her 20s, was also taken to hospital in a life-threatening condition after the crash.

A baby who was with the woman in the car at the time of the collision was taken to hospital as a precaution.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: “Working with other emergency services colleagues, four patients were treated at the scene.

“One patient was taken by air ambulance to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, one patient was taken by air ambulance to the Royal London Hospital, one patient was taken by land ambulance to Broomfield Hospital and the fourth patient was taken by land ambulance to the Royal London Hospital.”

The road was closed for several hours, causing severe delays for drivers well into the evening’s rush hour.

Essex Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash and are looking for witnesses to the incident to come forward.

A spokesman said: “The condition of the driver of the Kuga and the man in the van are no longer described as life-threatening but their injuries may be life-changing.

“The woman in the van is in a critical but stable condition in hospital.”

Witnesses should contact the Serious Collision Investigation Unit by emailing collisionappeal@essex.pnn.police.uk or calling 101.