A woman has died and three adults and a child have been taken to hospital after their car overturned on the A38 near Lichfield.

The group of five had been travelling southbound on the A38 London Road, just south of the junction T4 of the the M6 Toll motorway, shortly after 9.30pm last night when their green Toyota Avensis left the road and ended up on an embankment.

The driver of the car, a middle-aged woman, was confirmed dead at the scene.

West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman Murray McGregor said a second woman, who was aged in her 30s, suffered serious abdominal injuries in the crash. The Staffordshire Police helicopter was scrambled to the scene and airlifted the woman to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham.

A woman in her 60s, who sustained leg, chest and shoulder injuries, was driven to the same hospital in an ambulance.

A man in his 40s was suffering severe back pain following the smash. He was immobilised by paramedics using a neck collar and spinal board and transferred to Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield. A three-year-old boy who was also in the car escaped injury but was left shaken.

“He travelled with the man to Good Hope Hospital as a precaution,” Mr McGregor said.

He added: “Crews were particularly grateful to a midwife who came across the crash and stopped to offer her assistance. Her help was greatly appreciated.”

All of the occupants of the car were from the Balsall Heath area of Birmingham.

The A38 was closed for around four hours last night while emergency services dealt with the aftermath of the crash.

Sergeant Barry Dutton, from Staffordshire Police, said: “A fatal road traffic collision occurred on the A38 southbound carriageway between Weeford Island and the turning for Little Hay, south of Lichfield City Centre.

“The female driver of the vehicle suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The A38 was closed for approximately four hours while scene inquiries were carried out.”

Police are asking any witnesses to the crash to contact PC John Vernon at Lichfield police station on 0300 1234455, quoting serial number 931 of June 23.