A two-year-old girl has died and two other children were injured after a car hit a wall near Horton on Sunday night.
The driver, a 28-year-old man from Wimborne, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving over the crash, which also saw a nine-year-old boy taken to Southampton General Hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries.
The man has been released on police bail until the middle of August, pending further enquiries.
Police were called to reports of a serious single car collision on the B3078 at Didlington, which is the Wimborne to Cranborne Road, at 9.20pm.
It involved a blue MG car containing five people, which left the road and collided with a wall before landing on its roof.
A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: "Sadly a two-year-old girl from the Wimborne area died. An nine-year-old boy, also from the Wimborne area, suffered serious and potentially life-threatening injuries and was transferred to Southampton General Hospital.
"An 11-year-old boy, from Corfe Mullen, suffered bruising and was taken to Poole Hospital for treatment."
They added that the driver of the car and a female passenger received minor injuries and were treated for shock.
The little girl's next of kin have been notified and the coroner has been notified.
Police officers closed the road between the junctions for Witchampton and Horton following the crash, to allow collision investigators to carry out a thorough investigation of the scene.
Inspector Matt Butler, of Dorset Police’s Traffic Unit, said: “This was a tragic incident and specially-trained family liaison officers are supporting the family at this difficult time.
“I am appealing to anyone who witnessed this collision, or the manner of driving of the MG prior to the incident, to please call me on 101.
“All calls will be treated in strict confidence.”
A spokesperson for Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said that they were called to the scene but not required. Crews assisted the ambulance service.
Note: this story has been updated to clarify the age and gender of the other children injured in the crash: the initial information provided by police was incorrect.
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