FIVE youngsters, one just 15, were seriously hurt today when a stolen car crashed after a 100mph chase.

Two were fighting for their lives as Sussex Police launched an investigation under the supervision of the Police

Complaints Authority.

Officers working as part of Operation Eastbridge, targeting car thieves in Brighton and Hove, first spotted five youngsters in a stolen Ford Orion in the town centre in the early hours. They followed the car as it headed out of town, through Patcham and towards London.

Officers in a marked police traffic car and an unmarked police car signalled the driver to pull over but they were ignored.

The Orion, reaching speeds of more than 100mph, shot up the slip road at Albourne and crashed at the junction with the B2118. It ploughed head on into a crash barrier and demolished road signs to Albourne and Hurstpierpoint.

Firefighters from Burgess Hill, Hurstpierpoint and a

specially-trained rescue crew from Worthing attended.

Two casualties were released soon afterwards but fire crews had to cut the others free.

Paramedics treated the injured inside the twisted metal and it was more than two hours before the last of the injured was removed.

The five, all from London, were taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.

The 23-year-old driver and an 18-year-old passenger escaped with cuts but the others were more seriously hurt.

A 15-year-old boy suffered spinal injuries, a 17-year-old sustained internal wounds and another 23-year-old was being treated for neck, wrist and skull injuries.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.