A MAN was cut free and rushed to hospital with very serious injuries after a crash along the A35.
A white Ford Transit Connect and a black Volkswagen Caddy were both involved in a crash on the road near Bloxworth, near Bere Regis, shortly after 8pm on Wednesday, January 1.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and paramedics took the driver of the VW, a man in his 50s, to Southampton General Hospital.
His condition is described as very serious after he was cut free by firefighters, and his family has been informed.
Two air ambulances were called to the scene, as well as several land ambulances and fire engines.
Meanwhile, it is reported the driver of the Transit had fled the scene on foot.
But a man in his 30s and from Bournemouth was later arrested on suspicion of driving offences.
The road was closed as the emergency services responded to the incident and officers carried out an examination of the scene.
Officers are appealing for witnesses or anybody with dashcam footage to come forward.
Sergeant Richard Stroud, of the roads policing team, said: We are carrying out a number of inquiries to establish the full circumstances of this collision, and I am keen to hear from any witnesses to the incident, or the manner of driving of the vehicles involved prior to it.
I would also ask anyone who was driving in the area around the time of the collision to please check any dashcam footage to see if they have captured anything of relevance.
Finally, I would like to thank members of the public for their patience and understanding while the road closures were in place.
A spokesperson for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: We were called to the A35 between Bere Regis and Bloxworth at 8.17 pm last night following a two-vehicle road traffic collision.
Three crews attended, two from Poole and one from Wareham, and one person was cut free from a van. Our stop was at 9.29 pm.
A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service said: We were called at 8.12 pm on Monday, January 1, to a road traffic incident on the A35, near Bloxworth.
We sent three double-crewed land ambulances, two air ambulances, and one doctor. We conveyed one patient by land ambulance to Southampton General Hospital.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police via their website or by calling 101, quoting incident number 55240000343.
Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.
