Van driver seriously hurt in lamppost crash which shut A35 Lyndhurst Road at Ashurst

A motorist has been badly hurt after a van ploughed into a lamppost off the A35 at Ashurst this morning (Monday).

The busy Lyndhurst Road was shut in both directions following the crash, which involved a white Volkswagen Transporter at around 7.45am.

Taken by ambulance to hospital, the casualty, a man in his 40s from Totton, was in a serious condition, according to police.

A spokesperson for the Hampshire force said: “We were called by the ambulance service at 7.49am to a report of a road traffic collision on the A35 Lyndhurst Road.

“A white Volkswagen Transporter left the carriageway and collided with a lamppost.

“The driver, a man in his 40s from Totton, has been taken to hospital in a serious condition.”

The A35 closure, between New Road and Whartons Lane, has seen delays build up in both directions, with traffic diverted away. The road was cleared just after 10am.

Witnesses are being urged to come forward, along with those who may have captured relevant dash cam footage.

Those with information should contact officers on 101, quoting reference 44240231890.