AN elderly lady from Highcliffe had to be cut free from her vehicle after colliding with a parked car in Fairmile on Friday lunchtime.

The pensioner was travelling from Christchurch towards Fairmile just before 12pm and is believed to have misjudged the distance between the parked Mazda 2 and her own vehicle, shunting it onto the pavement and rolling her own silver Toyota Yaris.

The road was closed while two fire crews from Christchurch station removed the roof of the Toyota in order to cut free the lady who is believed to be in her 80's.

The pensioner was taken to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital but police at the scene say she was conscious, breathing and passing comment while fire crews worked to free her from the vehicle.

Sue Froud, the owner of the Mazda was in her house at the time of the collision.

She said: "I heard a bang while I was putting my washing on the line and rushed out to see what had happened.

"I was talking to her until the police arrived and she was chatting and seemed to be fine, which is the most important thing. This is such a busy road. Maybe the Council will listen to us now about getting some off-road parking along this stretch of Fairmile."

Diversions were put in place at the railway bridge at Bargates and traffic was also diverted from Grove Road south although tailbacks were reported along the A338.

PC Shaun Sutton from Ferndown Road Policing Unit is appealing for witnesses to the incident. If anyone has any information they should contact the police on 01202 22 22 22.