A woman is fighting for her life in hospital as police hunt the driver who hit her then fled the scene.

Parts of Wingrove Road, in Newcastle's West End, were closed off for much of Friday night, as police officers combed the street for evidence after a shock crash.

According to eyewitnesses, a young woman was hit by a car while crossing from Fenham Hall Drive. After receiving CPR on the roadside she was taken to hospital - but the driver who hit her did not stop.

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: "The driver of the car, [which] is believed to be a Peugeot, did not stop at the scene and an investigation has been launched to trace it and identify the driver.

"The young female pedestrian has been taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries and the road remains closed while officers work.

"Enquiries into the circumstances around the collision are ongoing. Officers are aware of the incident being shared on social media and are asking for the public’s help in identifying the driver and car."

Police searching the junction of Fenham Hall drive and Wingrove road, Newcastle

An eyewitness, who did not want to be named, told ChronicleLive: "I just heard a bang and a saw a car. I saw the girl in the road, then the ambulance came.

"It looked really bad. It was very frightening. I’m still getting over the shock, I just feel for the girl.

"I just wish I had got the car registration."

A spokeswoman for the North East Ambulance Service said an ambulance and a trauma car had been sent to Fenham Hall Drive at 4.24 pm and a woman had been taken to the RVI with "trauma-related injuries" after CPR was performed.

At time of writing, the road remained closed.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting log 760 23/11/18 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.