AN ELDERLY motorist has died after collapsing at the wheel of his car on the A35 near Winterbourne Abbas.

Motorists faced hold-ups when police closed parts of the road from Dorchester to Bridport after the crash.

Residents have also called for greater road safety after the accident – the latest in a series near the village.

Janet Allen, chairman of the Winterbourne Abbas Parish Council, said she was saddened by the news of the accident and added that locals had been trying to improve road safety in and around the village.

She said: “It is very sad that this has happened.

“There has always been concern about that road and we had another accident slightly further up on Monday. It’s permanently dangerous.

“We have managed to get a 30 miles per hour speed limit through the village but we have been trying to get another limit like a 40 outside of the 30 to try and slow people down.

“It’s such a shame because the place is a real holiday route and the villagers have been worried about it for ages and we are always trying to slow people down.”

The accident happened when an 87-year-old man from Bridport was approaching Winterbourne Abbas yesterday morning when his car left the road and ended up in a grass verge. He was treated at the scene by paramedics but was later pronounced dead at the Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester.

It was thought that the driver collapsed at the wheel of his Ford Fiesta near the Little Chef at Winterbourne Abbas at around 8.30am.

Ambulance crews and police attended and road closures were put in place between Monkey’s Jump roundabout near Dorchester, and Kingston Russell.

Closures were also later put in place near the Texaco garage at Bridport but the road was re-opened after about an hour.

South Western Ambulance paramedic James Ryan said two ambulances were called to the scene as well as an ambulance officer, while the air ambulance was mobilised but was not required.

Mr Ryan said: “The driver appeared to have a medical event at the wheel but that is speculation at the moment.

“He was taken by road ambulance to Dorset County Hospital and was left in a serious condition with hospital staff.”

He added: “The paramedics who attended said they were extremely grateful to the members of the public at the scene who gave them a hand as he was extricated from the vehicle before being transported to hospital.”

Motorists faced diversions and were held up along the A35 at the Dorchester and Bridport ends of the stretch.

Bar manager at the Coach and Horses pub in the village Sean Martin had to come round via Martinstown to get to work from Dorchester.

He said: “The road was closed right back to Monkey’s Jump and it was pretty chaotic.

“It’s a main road and a lot of people were affected by it.”

Chris Causon, recovery manager at Bride Valley Motors in Winterbourne Abbas, said his company arranged for the recovery of the damaged vehicle.

He said: “One of our drivers arrived on the scene about 30 seconds after the ambulance.

“The road was shut in both directions and the car was brought back here.”

Mr Causon said it was the second time in the week an accident in the area had caused a closure of the road.