THE young Wimborne woman involved in the head-on smash on the A35 near Dorchester on Wednesday sustained serious but not life threatening injuries.

She suffered multiple injuries in the collision, which involved two cars near the old Friary Press site, on the Bridport Road close to the Monkey’s Jump roundabout.

Shocked resident Phillip Roberts, who heard the impact and witnessed the aftermath, said: "I was sitting at home when I heard the bang – it was like thunder.

“I saw one car smoking and another in the road."

The air ambulance was scrambled but medics made the decision to take all three casualties to Dorchester’s Dorset County Hospital by road.

Two men, aged 18 and 19 from Dorchester, travelling in a black Volkswagon Golf, also sustained serious injuries but these were also not believed to be life-threatening.

Police said the Golf travelling west was in collision with the Corsa in the eastbound carriageway.

The road was closed for more than three hours as crash investigators tried to establish what happened.

Mr Roberts, who lives at Radio Station House near the scene of the crash, added: "I went over to help but there was little I could do – then two fire engines and ambulances arrived.

"It was quite shocking, I’ve heard of a few accidents along this stretch, but never seen one like this before."

Tony King, 73, who lives close by, said: "The traffic was all backed up and I helped direct it off down the lane off the main road because they needed to land the helicopter."

Chairman of Winterbourne Abbas Parish Council, Janet Allen, who has campaigned for better road safety measures along this stretch of the A35, said her thoughts were with the casualties.

She added: "The stretch of the A35 near the Friary Press is particularly dangerous.

"Cars really go fast and because of the third lane, for lorries to turn into the site, you can get overtaken on both sides."