Two women have been killed and a child and pensioner seriously hurt in a road crash near Carlisle.

Cumbria police say the women are from the Carlisle area.

A three-year-old boy and 74-year-old man have been flown to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.

It is believed all four were in the same vehicle, a Kia Picanto car.

Another casualty, a man, aged 51, from Aspatria, received minor injuries and was taken to Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary. He was driving a Ford Transit.

The Great North Air Ambulance and the North West Air Ambulance attended the collision on the A595 at Newby West at about 3.25pm.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance was also called but was stood down before arrival.

Multiple emergency service vehicles were sent to the scene.

The road was closed between Newby West roundabout and Orton Grange for several hours but has now reopened.

Police had earlier said it was a six vehicle crash but they later clarified it only involved two.

Casualties were trapped in both vehicles and were released using specialist cutting equipment, says the fire service.

There was an earlier two vehicle crash, at about 3pm, also on the A595 but near Bolton Low Houses.

No one was thought to have been injured in that collision.