FOUR people were taken to hospital after cars crashed in treacherous conditions on Dorset's roads - as drivers were warned more freezing weather is on its way.

Three vehicles collided near the Manor Roundabout on the Weymouth to Dorchester relief road.

The incident saw Weymouth Way closed in both directions as police, fire and ambulance crews worked at the scene, after being called to the incident around 7am yesterday.

A Dorset Police spokesman said: "Dorset Police was called at around 7am on Thursday December 31 to a report of a three vehicle collision near the Manor roundabout on the A354 in Weymouth.

"Four people sustained minor injuries and attended hospital to be checked over."

The vehicles were later recovered and the road reopened later that morning.

It came amid weather warnings for ice in the county, imposed by the Met Office on Wednesday evening.

A spokesman for Weymouth & Portland Police said: "Please take extra care on the roads and adjust your driving to suit the icy conditions.We are dealing with a number of road traffic collisions."

At around 9am, drivers were alerted to a crash on Portland Road in Weymouth at the junction with Merley Road, which was cleared several hours later.

In north Dorset, police were called at around 11.09am to a single vehicle crash at Piddle Lane, around 300 metres from Piddletrenthide. Roads were closed while the car was recovered, reopening in the afternoon.

The crashes happened as drivers across Dorset were warned to take care on the roads with icy conditions set to continue over the New Year weekend.

Temperatures will struggled to reach 2C yesterday with forecasters predicting -3C last night.

Both today, tomorrow and Sunday temperatures will reach no higher than 4C all day, according the the Met Office.

And it will be well into next week before the mercury rises any more than that.

Drivers are being urged to take extra care on the roads and to consider whether it is necessary to travel at all given the latest lockdown restrictions.

A spokesman for North Dorset Police said: “Spend time clearing windows of ice, use your lights including fog lights

if relevant and remember the indicators

“Check they all work before you commence and drive to the conditions - you are not in a race.

“If you don’t have to travel, stay in bed.”