Seven teenagers have been injured in two separate crashes in West Sussex.

In one, two were hurt when the car they were travelling in hit a tree in Titnore Lane, Worthing, at 11pm last night.

The driver of the car, also believed to be a teenager, fled the scene and was being hunted by police today.

Four youngsters were inside the car. An 18-year-old was taken to Worthing Hospital with head injuries after hitting the windscreen.

A 19-year-old was also taken to hospital but another occupant escaped unhurt.

Earlier, five teenagers suffered serious injuries when a car veered out of control on a winding country road and crashed into trees.

The accident happened on the A286 at Appledram, near Chichester, just before 8pm.

Police said the 18-year-old male driver, two male passengers aged 19 and 20 and two girls both aged 18, all from the Chichester area, were taken to the city's St Richard's Hospital.

A sixth teenager, who was also in the white Ford Fiesta XR2, escaped unhurt.

Today traffic officers investigating the crash appealed for witnesses who may have seen the car before the accident.