FURIOUS traffic police have criticised “rude and impatient” motorists who complained after they closed a major road to deal with an accident.

The smash, which left a cyclist in hospital with serious leg injuries happened on Blandford Road, Hamworthy.

Officers closed the road for almost two and half hours on Friday afternoon while they dealt with the aftermath.

The immediate area became gridlocked at the worst possible time – rush hour.

But in the congestion, lots of drivers lost their temper and took out frustrations on the police.

Others performed U-turns in Blandford Road to avoid being stuck for hours in the ever-lengthening jam.

Sergeant Steve Quill of the Ferndown Traffic Unit said: “A great many local motorists who were unfortunately caught up in the delay showed little or no patience with officers manning the road closures.

“Many did not accept that the road had to be closed at all. They did not follow the instructions given to them for alternative routes.

“I’m sure if these impatient and rude drivers had someone in their families involved in a serious collision, they would want the police to do all they could to investigate the matter fully,” he added.

He said road closures were only made when absolutely necessary to reduce inconvenience to local communities, and added that drivers should remain calm.

The cyclist, a 32-year-old local man, was involved in a collision with a black Suzuki motorcycle as both overtook a line of traffic near the junction of Symes Road at about 4.30pm. The motorcycle then struck a car.

Both were heading towards Upton.

Temporary traffic lights slowed already heavy traffic to a crawl near the railway bridge at Turlin Road.

The motorcyclist, a 41-year-old Bournemouth man, suffered facial injuries and a broken nose. A police spokesman said the cyclist’s helmet had saved his life.

One Hamworthy resident who turned out of Turlin Moor and couldn’t make it to her home just up the road, drove away and sought refuge with relatives.

“I thought I would never get home,” she said.

“People were turning in the road. What did they want us to do, sit there?”

Gordon Agar, who lives in the road, had seen the traffic build up all day, from the one-way lights put in near the bridges as workmen dealt with a gas leak.

“There was a long queue all day,” he said. “The traffic was backed up all along the road. It was coming to home time and youngsters will go along the outside and overtake.”