A 21-year-old woman is fighting for her life after being involved in an early morning accident just yards from where she works.

Her 17-year-old male companion is also receiving hospital treatment for injuries he sustained after they were allegedly struck by a black Ford Focus in the Charminster area of Bournemouth just before 4am yesterday.

It is believed that the pedestrians, who are both employees at the nearby Starz American diner, may have been crossing Charminster Road when the collision happened.

The 22-year-old male driver of the Ford Focus, which had a shattered windscreen, was arrested at the scene. He had been travelling from Cemetery Junction towards Throop.

The street was sealed off until after 10am while the vehicle was recovered along with a dark blue Ford Focus estate car.

Investigators examined a stretch of the road between the Stewart Road and Malmesbury Park Road junctions for evidence. There were markings in the street and blood stains.

Weymouth-based traffic officer Sgt Joe Pardey told the Daily Echo: “The alarm was raised by a police officer who came across the collision. The driver had stopped at the scene.”

He said the 21-year-old woman was ‘in a life-threatening condition’ at Southampton General Hospital, where she is being treated for multiple injuries.

The 17-year-old male is being treated at Poole General Hospital, where his condition is described as ‘serious but stable’.

Sgt Pardey added: “The casualties and driver are all from the Bournemouth area; next of kin have been informed.

“Even at 4am Charminster Road is still quite busy and I would appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident to get in touch.

“The road markings suggest that the casualties were in the road; whether or not they were using a nearby crossing has yet to be established.

“The car involved has been taken to a secure yard for examination as part of the investigation.”

Starz was packed with customers yesterday morning, unaware of the collision on their doorstep just hours earlier.

A shocked waitress confirmed that both casualties had worked at the popular diner.