PART of the A338 Wessex Way  was closed for six hours after an early morning crash.

Police and ambulance were called to the scene at 3.29am.

A man has been taken to Poole Hospital with serious injuries.

Traffic is heavy on the Wessex Way, with queues streching back to Blackwater junction at Hurn.

There are also long delays at Springbourne roundabout as a result of the diversion, with traffic at a standstill and impacting on Winton and Charminster.

Police shut the road between the Springbourne roundabout and St Paul's roundabout, near Asda, on the southbound carriageway heading into town.

A car hit the barrier, bringing down a lamp post.

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: "We were called to the Wessex Way at 3.29am to reports of a single vehicle collision.

"There was no-one trapped in the vehicle but one man was injured.

"He was taken to Poole Hospital with serious injuries."

The local authority has been contacted to deal with the wires from the lamp post.

Recovery has been requested for the vehicle.

The road remained closed for six hours. It reopened around 9.25am.

More follows.