Police are appealing for a man who "ran away" after a car crashed into a tree to come forward, as a woman in her 20s fights for life in hospital.

Officers were called just after midnight to a report of a collision on the A249 Sittingbourne Road in Maidstone.

A blue Peugeot convertible car was travelling towards the M20 when it left the road near to the junction with Sportsfield and collided with a tree.

A woman in her 20s suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to a London hospital. Police said her condition remains serious.

A second woman suffered minor injuries and received medical treatment. The 25-year-old woman from the Sevenoaks area was arrested in connection to the collision and remains in custody.

Police from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) attended the scene and the road was closed until around 7.20am.

Officers want to speak to a man who was reported to also be in the vehicle before the crash and ask that he comes forward urgently as he may have information which could help the investigation.

The oolice's roads unit tweeted: "We encourage the driver from Maidstone who ran away from the serious crash to hand themselves in. We are looking for you. Also if you are hiding this person #DoTheRightThing#ringin. You will be found so present yourself."

Anyone who may have witnessed the collision, or saw the car in the moments leading up to it, is asked to contact SCIU on 01622 798538 or email sciu.td@kent.pnn.police.uk quoting DH/271/17.