A HAMPSHIRE camper van driver was killed in a head-on smash with a tipper truck.

The man in his 60s from Fareham was declared dead at the scene of the crash on the A31 near Wimborne in Dorset.

His wife, also in her 60s, was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital with serious injuries, that are not thought to be life threatening.

She was travelling in the front passenger seat of the camper van and was flown to the hospital's trauma unit where emergency doctors were standing by.

Officers, who were working to notify next of kin, said they were not in a position to release any further details on the casualties.

Shocked witnesses told the Daily Echo they heard an “almighty crash” from an impact with enough force to practically obliterate the front of the van.

Meanwhile, the driver of the Dorset County Council truck - a man in his 40s from Weymouth - was taken to Poole Hospital also with non-life threatening injuries.

The two vehicles involved were a white and grey Fiat Autorail motorhome and a yellow DAF tipper truck.

Police closed the A31 to traffic after the crash at 10.15am today, and it remained closed for much of the day.

The air ambulance landed in a field adjacent to the crash site to transport the female casualty to hospital.

Acting Sergeant Sarah Jones, speaking at the scene, said: “Just before 10.15am this morning we were notified of a very serious accident on the A31 just outside the service station.

“Two vehicles have collided, one of which is a heavy goods vehicle.

“One of the occupants of one of the vehicles has sadly been pronounced deceased at the scene.

“One occupant was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital with serious injuries.

“We have our road collision investigators here - they are going to be examining the scene.

“The road is going to be closed for some time.

“Highways are en-route to arrange diversions. We ask people to be patient at this time.”

Dorset Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident or the manner of driving of the vehicles prior to the collision to contact Acting Sergeant Jones on 101, quoting incident number 24:126.