A six-year-old boy and his baby brother were injured when this car spun out of control, mounted the pavement and struck them.

Liam Riordan was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary with four cracked ribs and face injuries after the incident on Frizinghall Road, Bradford, yesterday.

His younger brother, who was in a pushchair, suffered a bruised head. Their parents escaped uninjured.

The five male occupants of the black Vauxhall Belmont - registration D289 WJX - fled the scene on foot and were today being hunted by police.

The car mounted the pavement near the junction with Frizinghall Road and Beamsley Road at around 7pm after colliding with a white Rover 213.

The driver of the Rover stopped at the scene and has been interviewed by Toller Lane police. Acting Inspector Roy Wensley said both cars were travelling towards Shipley when they collided.

He said: "It is believed one of the cars was trying to overtake the other, although we have yet to establish the exact details.

"As the cars collided a black Vauxhall Belmont spun out of control and mounted the pavement. injuring two children who were walking along Frizinghall Road with their parents. The car has been recovered and is being examined by forensic experts. We are trying to track down five men who were in the Vauxhall but left the scene."

Acting Inspector Wensley said the car had been involved in a part-exchange deal in Leeds last year and that details of the registered keeper were incorrect.

He added the Riordan family were lucky to escape without serious injury.

"It could have been a lot worse. Six-year-old Liam was taken to hospital with cracked ribs and cuts to his face and his younger brother had a bruised head. Thankfully their injuries were not as bad as first thought."

Liam has been detained at Bradford Royal Infirmary, where medical staff today described his condition as satisfactory.

Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision, or the movements of either car prior to the incident, to contact them at the Toller Lane help desk on Bradford 376259 or 0845 6060606.

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