TWO children have been rushed to hospital after a car pinned them against a phone box.

The driver of a Toyota careened off the road and backed into two five-year-olds and a gas pipe on Silverdale Road, Earley.

One of the children was airlifted to John Radcliffe Hospital with leg injuries, while the other is being treated for serious arm injuries at Royal Berkshire Hospital.

The motorist was exiting the car park, which backs on to Aldryngton Primary School, but lost control of the vehicle before hitting the children.

Colin Mair, chairman of Maiden Erlegh Residents Association, said: "That car park is chaos. It's often very busy and it's under scrutiny at the moment because of the proposals to expand Aldryngton School.

"There's a little bit more pressure because the car park at Tesco, Maiden Over, is not open. When that opens hopefully it will ease some of the pressure.

"An increasing number of parents seem to be dropping their children to and from school and during school times the car park is at its worst.

"It is a very significant problem."

A South Central Ambulance Service spokesman said: "At 15.33 we were called to reports of a car that had reversed into two five year-olds and pinned them to a phone box.

"We sent two ambulances, one rapid response vehicle, two officers and the air ambulance.

"One paramedic and a doctor were on-board the air ambulance. The doctor treated both children at the scene. One child sustained serious leg injuries and was flown to John Radcliffe Hospital. Another sustained less serious arm injuries."

Thames Valley Police were called to the scene but no arrests were made.

The gas board were called and were working on the pipe at 5pm.