THREE people escaped without serious injury after a two-car collision on the Upton bypass today.

A stretch of road was closed from Holes Bay to the Upton sliproad for more than four hours after the crash, which involved a blue Mazda registered to a keeper from Poole and a blue Peugeot 307 registered to a keeper from Dorchester.

Three casualties were treated by paramedics, with two - a male and a female who were travelling in the same car - taken to Poole General Hospital.

The nature of their injuries not said to be serious, although both were cut out of their vehicle by firefighters using hydraulic equipment and transferred to an ambulance on spinal boards.

The collision took place on the westbound carriageway of the A35 at around 1.39pm, and the road reopened at 6.01pm.

A fallen tree that blocked Dorchester Road in Lytchett Minster added to the traffic problems experienced by motorists.