A BABY in a pushchair tumbled down an embankment and his mother was thrown into a tree after they were hit by a car.

Police have today released more information about the road drama in Milton Abbas, and are now appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Contrary to information that was previously given to the Echo, police have now said the mother and baby boy were in collision with a car which mounted the pavement. And they said the mother suffered serious injuries, not minor injuries as reported.

Officers said a Peugeot 307, being driven by a 19-year-old local man, left the road on a bend, mounted the pavement and was in collision with a woman who was walking with a pushchair.

The 33-year-old woman was thrown into a tree following the impact and the pushchair containing her five-month-old baby continued down the embankment.

It is understood it went down about 10 metres - luckily the boy was not seriously hurt.

He was rescued from a ditch by firefighters. 

The woman was treated at the scene by paramedics and taken to Dorset County Hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Fortunately, the baby boy sustained only minor injuries and was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital for a check-up.

The collision happened outside Dale Cottage on the road out of the village going towards Milborne St Andrew about 4.20pm on Friday.

The driver of the Peugeot was uninjured.

It was getting dark at the time and temperatures were dropping.

Police, firefighters from Blandford – supported by a technical rescue team from Poole – and ambulance crews were alerted.

Locals told of emergency services racing through the area and a car which had gone off the road near the top of the lake. They hoped those involved were okay.

Following the incident on Friday, Dorset Police have released further details and are appealing for witnesses.

PC Mark Palmer, of the traffic unit, said: “I am appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident or the manner of driving of the Peugeot immediately before or at the time of the collision to please contact Dorset Police.

“The road was closed for a short time to allow emergency services to deal with the incident and I would like to thank motorists for their patience during the road closures.”

A woman who lives near the crash scene and whose fence was damaged in the incident said: “You can see all the tyre marks on the road. They obviously came off the road and onto the pavement which is quite a height and it has completely broken through the fence.”

Another local said: “I was at work at the time, but my husband said he could hear the baby crying for a long time.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting incident number 13:281. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.