A MAN was taken to hospital after a double crash, during which his car struck a tree and he was later hit by another vehicle.

At around 11pm on Saturday, November 14, a VW Golf was driven from Shaftesbury towards Sturminster Newton, when along the B3091 near Cole’s Lane it left the road and hit a tree before coming to rest in the carriageway.

A short time later a Kia Picanto, driven by a local 20-year-old man, crashed into the Golf and the driver of the Golf, who had got out of his vehicle following the first incident.

Police say the driver of the Golf, a 30-year-old man from the Shaftesbury area, "sustained serious potentially life-threatening injuries" and was taken to Southampton General Hospital for treatment.

The driver of the Kia was arrested on suspicion of motoring offences and has been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

Police Constable Jay Griffin, of the serious collision investigation team, said: “I am appealing to anyone who witnessed either collision, or was travelling in the area at the time and saw the vehicles immediately prior to the incident, to please contact Dorset Police.

“I would also ask motorists who were nearby to check their dashcam footage and get in touch if they captured the vehicles involved travelling along the B3091."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police by calling 101 quoting occurrence number 55200172065.