TWO people have been seriously injured following a crash between a motorcycle and a van in Christchurch on Saturday morning.

An 18-year-old male motorcyclist and his female pillion passenger were airlifted to Southampton Hospital with potentially life-changing injuries.

The silver Suzuki GSF600 - registered to a Christchurch man -was involved in a collision with a white Ford Transit drop-sided van - also registered to a Christchurch man - at the junction of Stony Lane and Footners Lane at 8.02am.

Police closed the area while accident investigators examined the scene.

The motorcycle was wedged underneath the van, there was a large oil spillage and debris was strewn across Stony Lane.

The roads eventually re-opened just before 2pm.

A Dorset police spokesman said: "Two people have sustained serious injuries. A man and a woman have been taken to Southampton Hospital. The injuries are not life-threatening.

"Any witnesses to the collision should contact Dorset police on 101 quoting incident number 111."

PC Sarah Jones of Dorset traffic police said that two casualties - one an 18-year-old male motorcyclist and the other a female pillion passenger- were taken to hospital by police helicopter and the South Western Air Ambulance helicopter.

Eye witness Valda El-Gueddari said: "I heard a massive bang and saw two people lying on the floor both conscious. I was talking to them.

"I got towels and blankets to wrap up the motorcyclist's injuries. I kept talking to them until the ambulance arrived. "

June Seeney of Footners Lane said: "I heard a tremendous bang and had no idea what had happened. It sounded like a bomb had gone off.

"I feel so sorry for the people involved. It was a terrible accident. I have lived here for 45 years and have seen some bad accidents here."

Another resident John Webb said: "I heard this big bang. I thought someone had been doing building work. Then I heard the helicopters come down."