A PEDESTRIAN has died after a crash on the A31 at Ashley Heath in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The 34-year-old man from Dibden in Hampshire died following the collision with the white Skoda Octavia on the westbound underpass of the A31 heading towards Ferndown.

Police said the man was in the road at the time of the collision.

It is understood he was married with children.

One person commenting online said: “He was a much-loved father, husband, brother and son and his family and friends are devastated.

“My thoughts are with his sister, his wife and young children, both his parents and their families.”

Police were called at 1.55am to the collision and immediately closed the road to ensure the emergency services were safe.

The road was closed from the slip road to Ashley Heath roundabout from Ringwood to the on-slip from Ashley Heath.

It was re-opened around 7am.

The driver of the car, a man in his 50s from Dorchester, was not injured in the incident.

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said the 34-year-old died as a result of his injuries.

The coroner has been informed and a post mortem is due to be arranged this week.

Police are appealing for witnesses to contact them on 101.

They want to talk to anyone who may have seen the vehicle or pedestrian before the collision.

The incident is the latest death on Dorset roads with 16 fatal crashes this year.

There were 25 in 2012.

The latest incident took place on the same stretch of road where 16-year-old Jade Clark lost her life following a scooter collision in February.

Hampshire Police, who assisted Dorset officers with Saturday’s collision, issued a warning to all motorists and motorcyclists after the sixth fatal crash involving a motorcyclist on the county’s roads since the hot spell began.