A BABY boy is in critical condition after he and his mother, who is 20-weeks pregnant, were involved in a head-on collision.

The 22-year-old woman, from the Chester area, is showing signs of improvement in intensive care at the Countess of Chester Hospital after sustaining multiple fractures in the crash on the Overleigh roundabout last Friday.

But her 18-month-old son suffered severe head injuries and remains in a critical but stable condition at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in Pendlebury.

A statement from Cheshire Fire Brigade said the mother was 20-weeks pregnant. She was trapped from the waist down in the wreckage, and it took fire crews 20 minutes to cut her free.

Leading firefighter Jim Payne, of Chester's blue watch, said the baby was already free from the car when two Chester fire engines arrived at the scene.

'He had been taken out of the car through a smashed window by witnesses and was lying on the grass verge when we arrived. We performed first aid and resuscitation on both mother and son until paramedics arrived and took over.'

The mother was driving a red Ford Fiesta on to the roundabout from Lache Lane at 4.49pm last Friday when the car was in collision with a dark Ford Focus, driven by a 33-year-old man from the Chester area.

A statement from Cheshire police said: 'The Ford Focus driver was arrested after providing a positive breath test for alcohol at the scene.

'He was then taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital for treatment for minor injuries and then released, when he was taken back to the police station and de-arrested the same evening.'

Sgt Christopher Hall, of the road policing unit, confirmed the male driver was de-arrested after further blood tests at the hospital and had not yet been interviewed about the accident.

He added: 'Inquiries are ongoing. When we have got all the information we need, we will decide on what action to take.'

Sgt Hall also revealed a third car had been traced as part of the investigation, but said it was not directly involved in the crash.

He said several important witnesses had come forward since media appeals on Monday, but added police are still asking witnesses to contact them.

He said: 'If anyone thinks they have any information about the collision or the vehicles they should contact PC Geraint Williams at Ellesmere Port Road Policing Unit on 01244 613082, or the confidential Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111.'