A 25-YEAR-OLD man was airlifted to hospital with potential life-threatening injuries following a crash near Sherborne.

Emergency services were called to a two-car collision on the B3145, in Higher Clatcombe, shortly after 8.45pm on Tuesday night.

The man, from Sherborne, was airlifted to Bristol's Southmead Hospital to be treated for serious head injuries, back injuries and a fractured shoulder.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, Dorset Police and South Western Ambulance Service attended the incident alongside the air ambulance.

Yesterday morning, Dorset Police said the man is no longer believed to be in a life-threatening condition.

Four other casualties were taken to Yeovil District Hospital by road ambulance to be treated for minor injuries.

It not known which of the vehicles the passengers had been travelling in.

A spokesman for the ambulance service said: "On the scene there were three rapid response vehicles, a road ambulance and the Somerset and Dorset Air ambulance."

Firefighters from Sherborne and Wincanton rescued the man by cutting the roof of his black Renault Clio.

A woman, also from Sherborne, who had been travelling in a silver Ford Fiesta had to be released from her car with hydraulic rescue equipment.

Fire crews arrived on the seen shortly before 9pm and requested the assistance from a third appliance from Sherborne.

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: "We were called at 8.45pm to reports of a two vehicle collision on the B3145, approximately on mile north of Sherborne towards Charlton Horethorne.

"The road was closed for some time while the vehicles were recovered and Police left the scene at 5.30am Wednesday morning."