WORKERS at a giant Hamphire shipbuilding company are praying for two colleagues who were left fighting for their lives after a horror crash.

The men, both aged 20 and apprentices at the Portsmouth-based VT shipbuilding group, were back seat passengers in a black Peugeot 306 which was in collision with a Transit van on Marine Parade East in Lee-on-the-Solent.

One of the injured men is from Chandler's Ford and the other is from Eastleigh.

They were admitted to the intensive care unit at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, with head and internal injuries. Their condition was described as critical.

A VT spokesman said that they were on day release at HMS Sultan in Fareham.

He added: "Our thoughts are with the lads involved and their families. We are all hoping that they recover."

Police closed the road for more than three hours while a full accident investigation was launched.

The 20-year-old driver of the Peugeot was arrested and questioned by police but released on bail without charge.

Two other male passengers in the car, aged 18 and 19 and both from Southampton, were treated for minor injuries at Queen Alexandra Hospital.

The 58-year-old Transit driver, from Fareham, and his passenger, a 47-year-old from Stubbington, were treated for minor injuries and shock.