A DRIVER was being quizzed by police last night after a pensioner died after being hit by a van and becoming trapped underneath it.

The road crash happened in New Milton yesterday morning, causing the road to be closed for more than five hours.

Throughout the day forensic officers worked on the road in a bid to determine exactly how the accident occurred.

Emergency services were called to the scene in Spencer Road shortly after 10.30am following a report of a collision between a white Vauxhall BT Openreach van and a man.

Speaking at the scene, Sergeant Darren Ord, of the serious collision investigation unit, confirmed that a detailed investigation was under way on the section of road following the fatality.

That included making house-to-house enquiries, determining if CCTV cameras had any useful footage.

Det Sgt Ord told the Daily Echo that the driver of the BT van, who has not been identified, was being interviewed by officers at a nearby station.

A resident living on the road, who did not want to be named, described how he saw police cars descended on the street and he rushed out to see what was going on.

He said: “They asked me if I could go back inside, then fire crews arrived and I saw them use a jack to lift the van so they could retrieve the man from under it.”

A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service despatched a crew to the scene.

He added: “We were called to reports of an elderly man trapped under a van. Sadly there was nothing we could do and he was dead on arrival.”

A spokesman for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said two crews from New Milton were sent to the incident and removed the man from under the vehicle.

The road was reopened shortly after 3.30pm.

Southampton Coroner’s Office confirmed the death had been referred to them and that an inquest would be opened in due course.

A spokesperson for BT Openreach said: “As you would expect we are taking this tragic incident very seriously and are carrying out a full investigation.”