TWO men have been released on bail after a “horror smash” which left a woman and a baby in hospital with serious injuries.

The two men, aged 27 and 29, were arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving after the smash on the A13 in Hadleigh on Thursday.

Essex Police has confirmed they have both been released on bail while detectives continue their inquiries.

Police officers, the fire service, the ambulance service, and an air ambulance rushed to the scene, near a BP garage in London Road, after the incident, described by an eyewitness as a "horror smash", at about 9.15pm on Thursday.

Echo: Smash - three cars were involved in a crash on the A13 in HadleighSmash - three cars were involved in a crash on the A13 in Hadleigh (Image: Supplied)

Firefighters freed one person who was trapped in a car and the East of England Ambulance Service rushed a woman and a baby to the Royal London Hospital for treatment.

Their injuries had initially been described as “potentially life-threatening” but were later described as “serious”.

The current condition of the two patients is currently unknown.

Detectives have appealed for the public’s help with their investigation into the collision, asking anyone who saw what happened or captured it on a dashcam to contact Essex Police.

“We’d ask those drivers to see if they have captured anything that could assist with our investigation,” a police spokesman said.