KEY POINTS:
Eight people are in Christchurch Hospital after a head-on crash on State Highway 1 near Leathfield Beach in North Canterbury yesterday.
A Christchurch Hospital spokeswoman said one person was in a critical condition and two were seriously injured but stable.
Two other people were stable with moderate injuries and another three people were in a stable condition.
The crash occurred at 11.35am yesterday, just south of the turn-off to Leathfield Beach.
The road was closed with detours in place until just before 4pm.
Police are still investigating the cause of the crash.