A woman is in critical condition after the car she was driving this afternoon was involved in a head-on crash in the Zurrieq by-pass, the police said.

The crash between a Subaru and a Toyota Hiace took place at 12.30pm, and for a time the woman, 64, and a four-year-old child, both of Zurrieq, were trapped in the vehicle. The boy was also taken to hospital for treatment, and is certified as suffering from serious injuries.

The van driver, a 22-year-old of Ghaxaq, was also injured and taken to hospital for treatment. He suffered minor injuries.