Twelve of the 23 students hit by a car that drove into them in North China's Hebei province remained in hospital on Tuesday, including three with serious injuries.

The incident happened on Monday when a car drove into a group of high school students outside Fengning No 1 Middle School in the Manchu autonomous county of Fengning, the local government said.

The students were walking near or through the school gate during lunch break at the time.