A PILE-UP on the A31 caused hours' worth of delays for frustrated motorists. 

Four vehicles were involved in a crash on the outside lane of the dual carriageway shortly after Ringwood this morning, January 31. 

Footage from the scene shows a row of cars which had rear-ended each other and at the end, a silver VW Tiguan which had collided half onto the back of a recovery vehicle. 

Police shut the road for several hours after the report came in just before 8am, causing huge tailbacks in Ringwood, Verwood Road, the A338 northbound and the A31 up to St Leonards. 

Nobody was injured in the smash, according to Hampshire Police, and the road was reopened after 11am. 

A spokeswoman for Hampshire fire service said: "At 7.46am today crews from Ringwood and Redbridge and an accompanying crew from Dorset and Wiltshire were sent to a road traffic collision involving three cars and a trailer on the A31 (Ashley Heath roundabout, Poulner) in Ringwood. 

"Three passengers were assisted from the vehicles by HIWFRS crews. The stop message came in at 08:10am." 

Meanwhile, on the A338 northbound just hours before at 6am, a car had crashed into the barriers along the carriageway just past Blackwater junction. 

Dorset police officers attended and temporarily blocked the road while they dealt with the incident, including arresting two people on suspicion of driving offences. 

A spokesman said: "We received a report at 5.52am of a single vehicle collision on the A338 near to the Blackwater Junction. It was reported that the vehicle involved had collided with a barrier. 

"Officers attended and two people were arrested on suspicion of driving offences and subsequently taken to hospital as a precaution, they are not believed to have sustained any serious injuries. 

"The vehicle was recovered and the road reopened at around 7.15am.”