POLICE are warning motorists to slow down in icy conditions after 30 separate collisions within three hours yesterday.

And the county’s fire service has echoed the call for caution after fire fighters were forced to cut off the roofs of vehicles to free trapped motorists.

A serious accident in Corfe Mullen in which an elderly woman was airlifted to hospital, and a five-car collision at Sixpenny Handley just 30 minutes after a previous accident, were among those attended by emergency services yesterday.

And on Tuesday more than 20 collisions were caused by cars sliding on icy roads.

Inspector Bob Jacobs of Dorset Police blamed icy conditions for many of yesterday’s collisions and urged motorists to slow down.

“Between 7am and 10am, Dorset Police were called to over 30 separate road traffic collisions across the county.

“Many of these involved icy conditions,” he said.

“The majority were relatively minor incidents, with vehicles spinning into hedges or ditches, although a number of these could easily have resulted in tragedy.

“The message to motorists once again is please, please slow down.

“You will not see the ice and by the time you know you've hit it, it will be too late.”

He added that black ice presented a danger even at low speeds where braking or accelerating at the wrong moment could cause motorists to lose control of their vehicles.

Officers urged motorists to adapt their driving to the conditions by leaving more space between their own vehicles and those ahead and more time for their journeys.

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service echoed the call from police officers in a message on Twitter.

And safety manager Kate Huelin echoed police advice on driving in icy weather and urged motorists not to make unnecessary journeys.

Gritters from Bournemouth and Dorset councils have been out on the main routes for the last two nights and will be again this evening.

But the warning remains: don't assume your road as been gritted and adjust your driving accordingly.