At least 11 hurt in accident as senior drives into Spanish festival

At least 11 people were injured in an accident in Spain after an elderly person drove into a crowd of people during a folk festival.

The emergency services said five people were taken to hospital with serious injuries, after the accident on Sunday evening in Vilanova de Arousa, in northwestern Spain. Medics were most concerned about a 14-year-old, who suffered severe internal bleeding.

State television said the number of hurt was higher, saying that at least 12 had been injured.

It was unclear what exactly led to the incident that occurred at around 11:30 pm (2230 GMT), according to officials. It seems that the driver, around 80 years old, lost control of the vehicle, RTVE reported.

She and her husband, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the smart car, were apparently attending a concert at the festival site.

The vehicle then suddenly drove into the tent, officials said.

The two occupants of the vehicle were taken into police custody. Officials are investigating.

The festival was held to mark the day of the town's patron saint, San Miguel de Deiro and was widely attended by people from nearby areas.