Baby seriously hurt in accident

A six-month-old baby was in serious condition in hospital last night after a car carrying seven people crashed in Co Longford.

The accident happened at about 1.30pm on the R392 at Ballymahon. That is roughly a mile from Lanesborough.

The car was carrying the infant along with three adults and three other children.

No other vehicle was involved in the crash.

All the occupants were rushed to the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar, where the boy’s condition was described as serious.

It is understood that he was later to be transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.

The others are not believed to have suffered life-threatening injures.

The road where the accident occurred was closed for much of yesterday as gardaí searched for clues as to the cause of the smash.

Officers have asked that any other motorists who were in the area of the accident between 1.15pm and 1.45pm would contact Longford Garda Station at 043-3350570.

Meanwhile, gardaí in Co Galway were last night investigating an accident which claimed the life of a 61-year-old cyclist.

The man’s bicycle collided with a car on the main Roscommon to Galway Road (N63) at Ballygar at about 5.45pm.

Nobody else was injured during the incident.

The road was closed last night as gardaí carried out a forensic examination of the site.

They appealed for any witnesses to contact Ballinasloe Garda Station on 090 9631890 or the Garda confidential line on 1800-666111.

Picture: The scene of the crash in Co Longford in which seven people were injured. Picture: Michelle Ghee