THE occupants of a taxi had a lucky escape after the car left the road and travelled 30 metres through undergrowth before coming to rest on its roof.

The accident took place at 11am this morning on the busy A35 Upton by-pass when a collision occurred between the Poole Radio Cabs Peugeot Premier vehicle and a grey BMW 330 saloon.

Firefighters had to release a person trapped in the black Peugeot, whose registered owner is from Corfe Mullen.

Three people in the taxi received minor injuries and were taken by ambulance to Poole Hospital for a check-up. One woman is believed to have suffered a fractured arm.

A further three people in the BMW, registered to a Wareham person, were believed not to be injured.

Dorset Police closed the road westbound after the mid-morning accident and later re-opened one lane to traffic. Both vehicles involved were being recovered from the scene.

The accident took place mid-way between the Upton House slip-road and the Blandford Road slip-road, heading towards the Bakers Arms roundabout.

“The taxi must have travelled through 30 metres of undergrowth before it came to rest on its roof,” said PC Rob Munro, Poole traffic officer, at the scene.

He said fortunately there were no trees in its path and it had come to rest on soft ground.

“That is very lucky indeed.”

PC Munro said the occupants of only one vehicle, who had witnessed the crash, had stopped and spoken to police and he appealed for more witnesses.

“The road would have been very busy at this time,” he said. “Almost certainly other people have witnessed the collision.

“I am also appealing for anyone who was heading westbound who didn’t witness the collision but who may have seen the manner of driving of the grey coloured BMW saloon prior to the collision, to come forward.”

Anyone who can help can contact PC Munro on 101.