A WOMAN died and five people, including two children, were injured in a horror car crash at a notorious North Yorkshire accident blackspot.

Last night's fatal smash close to Barton Hill, near Malton, came only 24 hours after a head-on collision on a nearby stretch of the A64 left five people in hospital.

The latest accident saw an elderly Leeds couple in a Citroen ZX involved in a collision with a Rover 400 carrying a family of four.

The shunt sent the Citroen hurtling off the road into a roadside bridge. The impact sent a large section of the stone bridge and debris from the car plunging into a stream below.

Police confirmed a female front seat passenger in the Citroen died at the scene, despite the efforts of a passing firefighter who gave her emergency treatment.

The driver of the Citroen, believed to be the dead woman's husband, was taken to York Hospital with serious leg injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening.

The occupants of the Rover - a man aged 59, his wife and their two grandchildren, girls aged 13 and six, also from the Leeds area - were treated in hospital for minor injuries.

Traffic police at the scene said it was lucky the death toll was not higher.

Sergeant Paul Stephenson, of Malton Police, said: "This is a notorious blackspot. With the wet conditions on a greasy road a collision has taken place and it's another extremely sad situation.

"One person has been killed - it could have been much worse. The family in the Rover were quite lucky to walk away without serious injuries."

Fire crews from Malton and Pickering, paramedics and four police vehicles attended the crash scene.

A North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said a firefighter who narrowly avoided being caught up in the crash pulled over and gave mouth to mouth resuscitation and a heart massage to the elderly victim.

The crash happened just before 7pm and caused major congestion, with one lane open eastbound and westbound traffic diverted through Huttons Ambo.

Police said the Citroen pulled on to the A64 from the Castle Howard turn-off before the accident occurred on the York-bound A64. Witnesses should phone 01723 509662.

The crash - certain to prompt fresh calls for the route to be fully dualled - came the day after five people were injured in a head-on collision at nearby Golden Hill, also on the A64.

Three of those hurt in Monday's A64 smash were still being monitored at York Hospital today.

Alan Lambert, 71, from Shipley, Leeds, and John and Isobel Leach, also from the Leeds area, were all described as "comfortable" by hospital chiefs.

Meanwhile, two teenagers were injured when the Rover 214 they were travelling in left the road and smashed through a fence near Selby.

Firefighters said the car then snapped a young tree before stopping near a fuel tank, leaving the passenger with a broken thigh bone, pelvis and ankles. He also suffered multiple cuts on his face and arms, and was freed by fire crews using cutting equipment. The driver suffered a broken leg and minor cuts. Both were taken to York Hospital.

Last night's single vehicle accident happened on the A63 between Cliffe and Hemingbrough at 8.20pm.

Updated: 10:55 Wednesday, June 02, 2004