A driver in his 70s has been arrested after a car ploughed into eight joggers, leaving six of them injured with three in hospital seriously hurt.

The runners were on a five mile route which took them along country lanes at just after 8pm on Tuesday night.

All of them were wearing head torches and high viz vests when they claimed the Jeep Wrangler suddenly swerved into them as they ran along a bend.

A fleet of ambulances were called to the scene in the Cheshire village of Tattenhall, near Chester.

A eyewitness said: ‘It was absolute carnage. There were bodies all over the road and some were quite seriously hurt.

‘All of the runners were correctly dressed for a night run with head stitches and high viz jackets. There is no way the driver of the Jeep wouldn’t have seen them.

‘The car came round the corner mounted the verge and slammed into them.’

Of the six runners injured, three were seriously hurt with possible life changing leg and head injuries.

The group are believed to have been from Tattenhall Runners (pictured on a different occasion) – an established road running club, which meets at Tattenhall Recreation Club, a sports field close to the scene

Pictured: Members of the Tattenhall Runners club on a different occasion.  The injured runners are believed to members of the club. They were on a five mile route which took them along country lanes at just after 8pm on Tuesday night

One was taken to the major trauma centre in Stoke, two were taken Aintree Hospital in Liverpool and one was taken to Countess of Chester and later discharged.

The group are believed to have been from Tattenhall Runners – an established road running club, which meets at Tattenhall Recreation Club, a sports field close to the scene.

Those uninjured helped fellow runners and the road was closed to other traffic while police carried out an investigation overnight.

The 76-year-old driver of the Jeep was breathalysed and arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He hadn’t been drinking. Police trying to establish why the driver veered off the road.

Cheshire police have appealed for witnesses to contact them.