Three people have been injured in three crashes which occurred within hours of each other yesterday afternoon, causing huge traffic disruption.

An 89-year-old man was seriously injured in a collision between a car and a pedestrian on Preston Beach Road in Weymouth near the Oasis Café, with police called to the scene at 5.39pm.

The man was then taken to Dorset County Hospital.

Preston Beach Road was closed both ways by police in response to the incident at around 6pm, causing tailbacks on the road and forcing drivers to turn around and take another route.

The road was reopened at around 9.20pm.

Dorset Police are appealing for witnesses of the crash to come forward.

Police Constable Jay Griffin, of the traffic unit, said: “I am appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision and has yet to speak to officers to please contact Dorset Police.

"I would like to thank motorists for their patience during the road closure which was necessary to allow us to investigate the incident.”

Just over an hour before the Preston Beach Road incident, another crash happened about a mile away on Preston Road near Chalbury Corner, resulting in head and neck injuries to a 28-year-old man, who was taken to Dorset County Hospital via ambulance.

The crash was between a car and a man on a mobility scooter, with Dorset Policecalled to the scene at 4.27pm.

Because of the incident, Preston Road was closed eastbound between Fisherbridge Road and Sutton Road, causing disruption to motorists, but it had been re-opened by 6.52pm.

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said the injuries the 28-year-old man suffered to his head and neck were believed to be minor.

The two incidents do not appear to be connected to each other.

In the third crash, a woman was airlifted to hospital after a car had crashed into some scaffolding.

Police were called to the crash on Broad Street in Lyme Regis at 2.44pm to reports of a silver Hyundai ix20 rolling into scaffolding. The woman, who had been in the passenger seat of the car, was cut free by fire firefighters and later taken to Dorset County Hospital.

No one had been driving the car at the time.

Broad Street was closed between Silver Street and Coombe Street due to the incident, which likewise caused traffic disruption in the area, and was reopened at 5.21pm.

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said it is not believed the injuries sustained by the injured person were life threatening.

Anyone with information regarding the Preston Beach Road crash 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 13:414. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.