A SCHOOL teacher and her young daughter are both still in hospital with serious injuries after a car crash.

Kate Pusey, head of music at Bedgebury School, Goudhurst, and her daughters Alice, nine, and Eleanor, six, were travelling along the A28 Rolvenden Hill, near Tenterden on Saturday when their Citroen ZX was involved in a collision with an Audi A3.

Alice was thrown from the vehicle, but her mother and sister were trapped in the wreckage and had to be cut free by firefighters.

Alice was taken by Kent Air Ambulance to Ashford's William Harvey Hospital suffering head and internal injuries. After emergency surgery, she was transferred to Guy's Hospital in London, where she is said to be in a stable condition.

Mrs Pusey, 38, of Maytham Road, Rolvenden, was taken to hospital by road ambulance suffering extensive injuries to her lower body. She remains in hospital, but is said to be "stable and comfortable".

Eleanor, a pupil at Tenterden Infants School, suffered a fractured wrist, cuts and burns to her legs, but has now been discharged from hospital.

The Rev Neville Gallagher, the deputy head teacher at Bedgebury School, said: "Kate is very well liked by the girls at Bedgebury, both as a teacher and as an inspiring musician and choir trainer. We are all devastated by her accident and wish her a speedy and complete recovery, and her daughters too."

Mrs Pusey's husband, Stephen, is head of music at Homewood School, Tenterden. He was on compassionate leave this week.

The driver of the Audi, a Benenden woman who has not been named, suffered whiplash, bruising and shock in the accident.

Weald police are appealing for witnesses. Anyone with information should call PC Matthew Filmer on 01233 611055.