A CYCLIST was critically injured in a collision with a car in the Parkstone area of Poole.

The man, in his forties, was travelling down Constitution Hill Road at 10.10am yesterday when his grey mountain bike hit the side of a car.

It is understood that the black Chevrolet Matiz hatchback, driven by a Poole woman in her seventies, had come up the hill and was turning right into Harbour View Road at the time of the impact.

The cyclist came off the bike and landed in the road, sustaining serious head injuries.

A member of the public dialled 999 and the casualty was taken by ambulance to Poole Hospital.

He was later transferred to Southampton Hospital with what police describe as “life-threatening” injuries. His next of kin have been told.

After the crash, police closed Constitution Hill Road in both directions between Sea View and Fourways until just before 2pm so that accident investigators could assess the scene and take measurements.

Harbour View Road was also closed between Constitution Hill Road and Harbour View Close.

A white plastic covering was placed over a bloodstain on the road surface and the bike propped up against a fence.

The car, with a dent clearly visible towards the rear of its passenger side, was removed from the junction before the roads reopened.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: “I went out to get the bus straight after it happened. I saw two or three cars and a bike.

“The cyclist was coming down the road when he hit a car coming into Harbour View Road. He was in the ambulance.

“There were other people in front of me and the police were taking witness statements.”

Another resident, who also asked not to be named, said he had sometimes been passed by bicycles while driving within the 30mph speed limit.

“We don’t often get accidents up here. It’s surprising because of the speed traffic comes down here.,” he said.

Witnesses and anyone with information about the way the car was being driven or the bicycle ridden before the collision are asked to call Dorset Police on 101 quoting incident 136 of the 6th.