A RUSH-hour crash caused traffic tailbacks and left a Bournemouth man with neck injuries on Friday.

His Renault Megane was in collision with a Peugeot 306 at the Richmond Hill roundabout in the town centre.

Fire fighters cut away part of the car frame and peeled back the roof so they could lift him out with a spinal board.

Steve Mant, group manager for Dorset fire service, said: "Because he was complaining of a neck injury you can't be too careful.

"He was conscious and taking all the time and there were no visible signs of injury. The crew did a fantastic job. It's bread and butter work to us, but it has to be done in a controlled manner."

The accident happened at 8.21am where the eastbound sliproad from the roundabout meets the Wessex Way.

The driver of the Peugeot, a Christchurch man, appeared unharmed.

Police blocked off the slip road and one of the eastbound lanes.

Westbound traffic exiting at the roundabout was also affected, as it could find no gaps in traffic to get on the roundabout.

The tailback stretched to at least the junction with Holdenhurst Road until police started using hand signals to alternate traffic priority. The scene was clear by 9.36am.

Steve Mant said: "There was a lot of traffic - it's rush hour, and people slow down because they want to see what's going on."

John Satchwell, Bournemouth council's transport manager, said: "Inevitably, because the circulation of traffic on the Richmond Hill Junction was affected, it did cause traffic to back up both east and west bound."