THREE men were rushed to hospital after a car careered off a track and ploughed into them during a Sunday race meeting.

The accident happened just before 1pm during Warton Stock Car Club's meeting at the track near Carnforth.

A car, one of around 50 bangers at the track for a series of races, apparently spun out of control and crashed through a metal gate before hitting the marshals.

Emergency crews from both Lancashire and Cumbria raced to the scene, as did the Lancashire police helicopter.

Hundreds of spectators were at the track to watch the meeting, dubbed Metal Mania 4 - but no spectators were in danger.

A spokesman for Lancashire ambulance service said that one volunteer marshal, Gerald Hoggarth, suffered a head injury and a serious lower leg fracture.

Another man, John Jones, suffered a leg fracture, which needed an operation, and an unnamed third marshal needed treatment for breathing problems.

The third marshal was not hit by the car but collapsed with problems brought on by the shock of the accident.

All three marshals, aged between 40 and 60, were rushed to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

The car driver was shaken up by the incident but not injured.

A police spokesman says: "A car lost control and went into one of the barriers. Two marshals suffered leg injuries, one quite serious, and a third marshal was suffering from shock."

The driver of the banger, an MOT failure which had a normal unmodified engine, has not been named.

A spokesman for Lancaster City Council says: "Officers still investigating and are receiving the full co-operation of the club.

"Pending an investigation we unable to comment further."

o The Citizen understands the club's Easter Sunday meeting will go ahead following an inspection from health and safety officers.