A MAN has been charged in connection with a fatal crash near Blandford which claimed the lives of a husband and wife.

At around 3.40pm on Sunday, April 2, 2017, a collision occurred on the C13 Higher Shaftesbury Road near Compton Abbas airfield.

The crash involved a black Kawasaki motorcycle and a green Ford Escort being driven by a 24-year-old man from the Shaftesbury area.

Sid Samways, 74, who was riding the motorcycle was pronounced dead at the scene.

His pillion passenger and wife Barbara, 71, was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital with serious injuries but died days later. The pair lived in Blandford.

A 24-year-old man from the Shaftesbury area has been charged with two counts of causing death by driving without due care and consideration while over the specified drug drive limit and causing death by driving a vehicle unlicensed.

He is due to appear before Weymouth Magistrates’ Court on Monday, October 9.