A WOMAN and a child have been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after an accident involving three vehicles on the A12.

READ MORE: Live updates following serious A12 crash

Essex County Council's traffic control team confirmed both sides of the A12 are closed between junction 27 (Avenue of Remembrance) and junction 28 (Colchester United) following an accident involving a car and a lorry on the London-bound carriageway.

The road was in initially closed to allow for two air ambulances to land at the scene.

A diversion is in place which has caused many roads in Colchester to become gridlocked as traffic avoids the A12.

Police officers and the ambulance service have attended the scene.

An East of England Ambulance Service spokesman said: "Two ambulances, a hazardous area response team vehicle, two ambulance officer vehicles, and two Essex and Herts Air Ambulances were called to the A12 near Colchester this morning.

"One woman and a child, both with serious injuries, were transported to Addenbrookes Hospital by air ambulance."

An Essex Police spokesman said: "We were called to reports of a collision on the southbound carriageway of the A12 at about 9.30am this morning.

"The collision involved three vehicles and two people have been taken to hospital.

"The incident has affected traffic in both directions between junction 27 and junction 28, between Cymbeline Way and the Crown Interchange.

"Emergency service colleagues are also at the scene.

"We advise drivers to check before they travel and plan their journey ahead of time."