Six children are in hospital in Oxford after a BMW collided with the people carrier in which they were travelling. Thames Valley police said officers tried to stop a car driving “erratically” at high speed on the city’s eastern bypass at 11.10pm on Tuesday. The BMW failed to stop and five minutes later collided with a black VW Touran being driven along the Slade in Headington. Four children were left with serious injuries, two sustained minor injuries and the driver of the Touran also sustained minor injuries. Police said on Thursday that the children, whose ages have not been confirmed, remained in hospital. Five young men from Oxford were arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Three of them were also arrested on suspicion of failing to stop, driving a vehicle while unfit through drugs, and driving a vehicle dangerously. One of the three, aged 18, is in custody while the other two, who are both 19, have been bailed. The fourth suspect, also 19, was arrested on suspicion of driving a vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug over the specified limit and has been bailed. The fifth suspect, who is 18, was arrested on suspicion of failing to stop, driving a vehicle while unfit through drugs, driving a vehicle dangerously and driving while unfit through drink. He has been bailed. DI Justin Thomas, of the force’s serious collision investigation unit, said: “We would like to appeal to anybody who may have witnessed this incident or was in the area at the time of the collision. “If anyone has any dashcam or CCTV footage or information about this incident, please get in touch. “Our thoughts are with the family affected and specially trained officers will continue to support them throughout this investigation.” The force has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which it says “is the procedure in these circumstances”.