A mother and her 10-year-old son have been stabbed on a suburban street.

The woman was driving her two boys when their car was ”allegedly made to stop by another vehicle” on West Dapto Rd at Wongawilli, in Wollongong’s southern suburbs, about 6pm on Wednesday, NSW Police said.

An older woman known to the young family allegedly got out of the other vehicle and approached the family’s car, before an altercation began, police said.

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“During the altercation, the older woman allegedly stabbed a 27-year-old woman and the 10-year-old boy,” police said.

The seriously injured victims were treated by Police and NSW Ambulance paramedics before being airlifted to hospital.

A three-year-old boy also in the car was not physically injured and has been taken into the care of another family member.

Within 30 minutes police had arrested a 59-year-old woman at nearby Horsley.

She was charged with two counts of wound person intend to cause grievous bodily harm.

She was refused bail to appear at Wollongong Local Court on Thursday.

Investigations are ongoing and anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.