A YOUNG woman remained critically ill in hospital today after her car left the A592 at Glenridding.

The driver's age was originally given as 20, but police later confirmed it as 17.

The accident happened shortly after 9am yesterday.

Police and the North West Ambulance Service attended and firefighters from Ambleside and Penrith helped free the woman from the vehicle.

Such was the seriousness of her injuries, Great North Air Ambulance paramedics carried out a surgical procedure on her chest at the scene.

She was then flown to the major trauma centre at the Royal Preston Hospital.

Cumbria Police have urged anyone who was on the stretch of road and who may have seen the car at the time to contact them on 101.