POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a man involved in an earlier car crash was in collision with a second vehicle after running into the road last night.

Dorset Police have notified the Independent Police Complaints Commission as a result of the incident.

Officers were called to the Ashley Cottages area of Verwood Road at 7.30pm on Monday after reports of a concern for welfare for a male driver of a green 51 plate Ford Mondeo estate.

A force spokesperson said the vehicle had been found unattended with collision damage.

A short time later police then located the male driver, who "ran into the carriageway" where he was involved in a collision with a BMW 5 Series driven by a 32-year-old male from the Verwood area.

The casualty, a 48-year-old man from Somerset, was taken to Poole General Hospital with minor injuries.

The road was shut for several hours while collision investigators examined the scene. Both vehicles were recovered.

Police are appealing for witnesses to either collision or anyone who may have seen the green Mondeo Estate driving in Bournemouth or Ashley Heath prior to the crash to contact PC 2091 Griffiths of the traffic department, quoting incident number 2367.

Resident Allen Pheby said he saw a stationary car with its headlights on, close to the entrance of Watchmoor Bike Park at around 9.30pm.

"I had a look outside and the police turned up and then a bit later an ambulance - and then another ambulance," he added.

He said he counted seven police cars and two ambulances at the site of the stationary vehicle with further emergency services activity down the road near Ashley Cottages. 

Last night, a spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service said that paramedics were called at 9.30pm and South Central Ambulance Service also attended.

One man was taken to Poole Hospital, suffering from a leg injury, the spokesman added.