A MAN is fighting for his life after his car collided with a tree on the A35. 

The 27-year-old from Bridport was driving in a silver Peugeot 206 on the A35 east-bound at Walditch, near Bridport, at around 2.16pm yesterday afternoon when the car left the road and crashed into a tree.

Police said the man sustained life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital.

His family have been informed.

The A35 was closed in both directions between Monkey's Jump roundabout in Dorchester and Greens roundabout in Bridport while emergency services dealt with the incident and collision investigators examined the scene. It was reopened just before 5.30pm.

Police Constable James Howes, of Dorset Police’s Road Traffic Unit, said: “I am appealing to anyone who witnessed the collision, or who saw the manner of driving of the Peugeot immediately before or at the time of the incident, to please call me on 101.

“I would like to thank motorists for their patience during the road closure which was necessary to allow emergency services to treat the man at the scene and to investigate what happened today.”

Witnesses and anyone with information should call Dorset Police on 101 quoting incident number 5:183. Alternatively, call the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111 where mobile phone tariffs may apply.

A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service said: “It was a single-vehicle collision. A car has collided with a tree. There is one male casualty with a chest and back injury and the air ambulance has been requested.”

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: “We were called at 2.16pm to reports of a single-vehicle collision on the A35.

“The collision occurred coming out of Bridport towards Dorchester.

“The A35 wass closed from Bridport to Dorchester and there is also closures at the Shipton George and Burton Bradstock turning.”

The air ambulance landed at the scene just before 3pm.

An eyewitness said the A35 is completely blocked. He said: “Police are diverting traffic. It looks as though the collision has happened just past the Walditch turning. The air ambulance has landed but I haven’t seen it take back off again yet.”