A WEYMOUTH man injured in a crash in the A31 east of Bere Regis has been released from hospital.

And police have thanked drivers who were delayed by the incident as the road was closed for several hours.

The man was airlifted to hospital in Southampton with what initially thought were 'life threatening' injuries following a collision between a car and a HGV near Stag Gate.

However police said today the man’s injuries were not as serious as first thought.

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: “Paramedics and doctors at the scene initially believed the man had sustained possible life-threatening injuries in the collision. He was cut free from the car at just before 8am.

“He was flown by air ambulance to Southampton General Hospital where, thankfully, it was established that that his injuries were not as serious as first thought and he was released from hospital later that day.

“As soon as officers at the scene were informed the injuries were not as serious as first thought, they arranged for the road to be cleared and the vehicles to be recovered. The heavy goods vehicle required specialist equipment.

“We would like to thank motorists for their patience during the road closure which was necessary to allow us to deal with the incident and ensure the driver received the appropriate medical care.” 

Dorset Police closed the A31 in both directions - between Stag Gate and the Roundhouse roundabout - after the incident.

It happened around 6.30am on Monday and left both lanes completely blocked by the lorry.

Officers only reopened the road seven hours later after investigations and recovery of the vehicles had taken place.

A silver Ford Focus registered to a Weymouth man and the articulated lorry registered to a Wiltshire company collided outside Vines Close Farm, around 100 metres west of the Dullar Lane junction.

Paramedics treated both drivers at the scene, before one - the driver of the Ford Focus - was airlifted to hospital with what were described at the time by Dorset Police as “potentially life-threatening” injuries.

Meanwhile, the lorry driver - understood to be from the Southampton area - was treated for shock.

Paramedics, police and fire crews from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service attended the accident, south of Sturminster Marshall, and the air ambulance landed in an adjacent field.

The smash caused major traffic problems in the area, with lengthy delays reported on the A350 Blandford Road.

Specially-trained police collision investigators carried out a detailed examination of the scene before recovery took place.

A South Western Ambulance Service spokesman confirmed two ambulances and a paramedic attended the accident, after receiving the emergency call around 6.34am. 

Speaking at the scene, a police spokesman confirmed: “We responded to a two-vehicle serious injury collision on the A31.

“A car has collided with a lorry and the road will remain closed for investigative purposes.

Witnesses to the accident, or anyone with information, have been urged to contact Dorset Police on 101, quoting reference number 26:41.