A 86-YEAR-OLD woman has died and another person is fighting for life following a head-on crash on the A352 near Wool.

Two others suffered serious injuries in the crash at Hethfelton Hollow, Stokeford on Sunday afternoon.

Emergency services were alerted to the scene which is east of Wool at 2.15pm on Sunday after a white Hyundai driven by a local man and a blue Ford Fiesta driven by a man collided head-on.

Officers said that the front seat passenger of the Fiesta, an 86-year-old woman from Swanage, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her next of kin have been informed and the coroner notified.

Originally Dorset Police said the woman who sadly died was 94, as stated in a previous report, but have now said she was 86-years-old.

The rear seat passenger of the Fiesta, a 51-year-old man from Swanage, suffered what officers have described as ‘very serious injuries.’ He was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital where he remains in a life threatening condition.

Officers said the driver of the Hyundai, a 36-year-old man from Wareham, suffered serious injuries and is being treated at Poole Hospital.

The driver of the Fiesta, a 60-year-old man from Australia, suffered serious spinal injuries and was also taken to Poole Hospital.

Both drivers had to be cut free from their vehicles by Dorset Fire and Rescue Service and all the occupants received medical attention at the scene.

The A352 remained closed until 8.50pm to allow collision investigators to examine the scene and clear the road.

Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses following the incident.

Police Sergeant Nikki Burt, of Dorset Police’s Traffic Unit, said: “I am appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision or either vehicle being driven prior to the incident to please call me on 101.

“All calls will be treated in strict confidence.”

Both the Dorset and Somerset and Devon air ambulances were called to the incident as well as a fleet of land ambulances and crews of firefighters from Wareham, Bere Regis and Poole.

The bonnets of both vehicles were destroyed in the crash, and in a field of debris surrounding the cars, items including a plastic water tank could be seen.

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service station manager Charlie Pack, district commander for Poole and Hamworthy, said: “Fire, ambulance and police were called to a two-car collision at 2.19pm.

“On arrival, there were four casualties, some with significant injuries.

"All of the casualties have been released by fire crews using hydraulic cutting equipment, and the casualties were transported to hospital, some by road and some by air.”

Contact Sgt Nikki Burt on 101 quoting incident 286-16.