THREE people, including a 12-year-old girl, who suffered injuries in a four-vehicle crash earlier this week are no longer in a life-threatening condition.

Officers were called at 8.35am on Wednesday to a report of a collision outside Port Regis School in Motcombe, near Shaftesbury.

Three people were taken by air ambulance to Southampton General Hospital, including a woman in her 40s, a 12-year-old girl and a man.

A Dorset Police spokesman said on Friday that their injuries are no longer considered to be life-threatening.

A second 12-year-old girl suffered serious injuries, one person sustained minor injuries and two people were uninjured.

The B3081 was closed in both directions near the Calves Lane junction to allow emergency services to deal with the incident and motorists were advised to avoid the area.

Anyone due to attend Port Regis School was advised to contact the school directly for arrangements.

A spokesperson from the South Western Ambulance Service said three air ambulances were needed.

Four road ambulances and four rapid response vehicles also attended.

Adam Collinge, operations officer at the amubulance service said: "We were called at 8.28am to a four-car collision with seven occupants.

"On arrival, it was found that there were four casualties – three being time critical. We sent three air ambulances from Henstridge, Thruxton and Avon, four land ambulances, two rapid response cars and an officer to the scene. There were also three specialist trauma doctors as well.

"Of the casualties with serious life-threatening conditions, there was a female in her 50s with lower leg and pelvis injuries, a male in his 20s with leg, pelvis and abdominal injuries, a 12-year-old female with leg, pelvis and facial injuries and another 12-year-old female with an arm injury."

He added: "The serious casualties were flown to the Major Trauma Unit in Southampton while the less serious was conveyed to Southampton by land ambulance.

"Three of the other occupants were subsequently found to be uninjured."

Two fire crews from Shaftesbury and one from Gillingham also attended.

Firefighters extracted two casualties trapped in the wreckage of the vehicles.

The vehicles involved were a silver Ford B-Max, a Green Peugeot 206, red Honda CR-V and a blue Saab 9-3.

The road was closed to allow emergency services to deal with the incident and reopened at around 4.10pm.

Witnesses or anyone with information to the collision should contact police on 101 quoting incident number 13:72.