A man was seriously injured after being hit by a car in Weymouth.

The pedestrian, a man in his 70s, was hit by the car on Greenhill near Melcombe Avenue on Wednesday at around 5pm.

Police said yesterday morning he was taken to hospital with a potentially life-threatening injury.

However the force have now said the man’s injuries are not believed to be life-changing or life-threatening,

Police and the fire service had been responding to a different two-car crash on the same road at around 4.45pm when the ambulance service alerted them to the incident.

One of the cars involved in the initial crash was leaking fuel when the crew from Weymouth Fire Station arrived.

The road was closed from around 5.15pm until 9pm. Several police cars were at the scene and motorists were advised to find alternative routes.

One motorist said: "There was a fire engine parked by the closure signs and there were several more emergency vehicles about a hundred yards after the closure with blue lights flashing.

"A lot of traffic was diverting up Dorchester Road which was really congested."

No arrests have been made.

The two incidents are not believed to be connected.

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: "At 4.46pm on Wednesday, November 22, Dorset Police received a report of a two-vehicle, road traffic collision.

"Officers and fire crews were in attendance.

"Then at 5.06pm, officers responded to a call from the ambulance service of a second road traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian a short distance away on Greenhill, near to the junction with Melcombe Avenue.

"The pedestrian, a man in his 70s, was taken to hospital for treatment to a potentially life-threatening injury. No arrests were made."

The force later said: "We can update that the man’s injuries are not believed to be life-changing or life-threatening."

A spokesperson for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue said: "We were called at 4.52pm yesterday with reports of a road traffic collision at Greenhill, Weymouth. 

"One fire engine from Weymouth was mobilised and on arrival found one vehicle involved and leaking fuel. No further action was taken. 

"Whilst on the scene, one pedestrian had been knocked down. Firefighters assisted with casualty care and making the scene safe until ambulance and police were in attendance."

A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said: “We were called at 5pm on Wednesday, November 22 to an incident in Weymouth. We sent a double-crewed land ambulance and an operations officer and conveyed one patient by land ambulance to Dorset County Hospital.”