A driver is in hospital with life-threatening injuries following a serious car crash on the A30 Salisbury Road near Shaftesbury.

An elderly passenger and the driver of a second vehicle involved in the collision are also in hospital with serious injuries.

The two-vehicle crash occurred on Salisbury Road near to the junction with Greenacre Way involving a black Hyundai i40 and a black Peugeot 307 at 1.26pm this afternoon.

The driver of the Hyundai, a 64-year-old man from Singapore, sustained life-threatening injuries and his passenger, a 95-year-old man from Salisbury, sustained serious injuries. Both were taken to Southampton hospital for treatment by air ambulance.

A 68-year-old Shaftesbury woman, who was the driver of the Peugeot, sustained serious injuries and was taken to Salisbury hospital.

The road was closed to allow collision investigators to carry out a full and thorough examination of the scene.

Emergency services were at the scene and the road has been closed both ways.

Fire crews from Shaftesbury, Gillingham and Sturminster Newton attended and helped to release three causalties who were handed to the ambulance service.

A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service said: “We received a call at 1.14pm to reports of a road traffic collision.”

“There are three patients.

“We attended with four rapid response vehicles and four ambulances. Two air ambulances were also in attendance.

“One patient has been taken to Salisbury District Hospital by road. Two patients have been taken Southampton General Hospital by air."

The road is closed on the C13 to the other end of Dennis Lane from the A30.

Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward following the collision.

Police Sergeant Mark Scammel, of Dorset Police's traffic unit, said: “I am appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision or the manner of driving of either vehicle immediately before the incident to please contact Dorset Police.

“I would ask anybody who was in the area at the time to consider any dashcam or CCTV footage they may have which could assist us in our investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email at scit@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting incident number 12:195. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.