A family believed to be returning from Norwich City's FA Cup match were the victims of a horrific hit-and-run accident.

Two children and their father were hurt after being struck by a car in Norwich Road, Costessey, at 5.50pm on Saturday.

Police have not released details of those involved, but neighbours said a brother and sister were involved, both being pupils of the Ormiston Victory Academy in Costessey.

All three were taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for treatment. A boy of 14 suffered serious head injuries and remains in a stable condition. His 12-year-old sister and their father, 47, were released after treatment.

One neighbour close to the crash scene said such was the force of the impact that the 14-year-old was knocked underneath a parked Audi car. The girl suffered a shoulder injury and was complaining of back pain.

It is believed the three had been returning from Carrow Road following Norwich City's defeat to Leyton Orient when the accident happened on Norwich Road on the path opposite Costessey Methodist Church.

The driver of the Peugeot car did not stop, but police later recovered the vehicle near the scene of the incident.

Witnesses reported seeing at least eight police cars at the crash site. Three ambulance crews were also on scene, with three rapid response cars also in attendance.

Mark Hoffman, 30, said he rushed outside to help following the crash which happened just outside of his house.

'We heard a huge bang and wondered what was going on,' he said. 'The car that hit them just drove off. The police had got the car, and the back was hanging off.'

Police also asked the builder and landscape gardener if they could use sand from his garden to cover the crash scene.

'Hopefully the boy is going to be all right,' Mr Hoffman added. 'I think they were just coming back from the football. They had just got off the bus at the Dereham Road.'

Clare Abel, 41, said the street was packed with police officers examining the crash scene.

'It was just mayhem, there were ambulances, fire engines, and police walking up and down,' Mrs Abel said. 'They were taking photos of the next door neighbour's car and looking at the road for debris.'

She added that school friends of the two youngsters had been contacting each other on the social networking site Facebook to see if they were ok.

'It's unbelievable,' she said.

Following the crash, police closed Norwich Road, which is off the Dereham Road, until around 9.15pm while investigating officers carried out a detailed examination of the area.

Police were last night trying to trace the driver of the car and were appealing for witnesses to the incident.

Did you see what happened? Do you know the family involved? Contact reporter Shaun Lowthorpe on 01603 772471 or email shaun.lowthorpe@archant.co.uk