Vic boy, hit by car on freeway, critical

A 14-year-old boy is fighting for life after he was hit by a car as he tried to dash across a Melbourne freeway.

Police believe a group of four youths tried to cross the Western Freeway at Brookfield, near Melton, just after 11pm on Saturday when the boy was struck.

He suffered life-threatening head injuries and was flown to The Alfred hospital in a critical condition.

The driver, a 47-year-old Ballarat woman, and her son stopped to help the boy and are talking to police.

Police are seeking witnesses, in particular the three youths the boy was with at the time of the crash.