A CRASH between two 17-ton lorries has forced police to close a road off the busy A31 and led to huge traffic hold-ups.

Police are diverting heavy Bank Holiday getaway traffic and urging drivers to avoid the area.

A tanker carrying 2,000 litres of diesel and a lorry belonging to a brewery were in collision on Horton Road in Ashley Heath, near Ringwood, shortly before noon.

Heavy traffic as people make their way to the coast for the weekend has led to long tailbacks in the area and police are advising motorists to avoid the area if possible.

The tanker ended up on its side with the driver trapped inside. Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance attended the scene and the driver was taken to Poole Hospital with serious, but not life-threatening, injuries.

Police have closed the road between its junctions with Lions Lane and Old Barn Farm Road and diversions are in place.

Both lorries will need to be emptied of their loads before recovery vehicles can remove them from the scene. Dorset Fire and Rescue Service is supervising the transfer of the petrol from the crashed tanker into another tanker.