A man in his 60s is being treated in hospital for serious injuries after his car veered off the road and hit a bench.

A witness told the Daily Echo that a white Hyundai ix35 suddenly left the road in Shirley High Street near Morrison’s supermarket and outside the Carphone Warehouse and that the man appeared to have fallen ill at the wheel. 

South Central Ambulance Service said that one of its crews had been driving down the street when the incident happened this morning.

A spokeswoman said: “The ambulance crew were immediately on the scene and the patient was taken to Southampton General Hospital.”

A hairdresser from Wow Hair, which is just feet away from the accident, said: “We just heard a big bang and rushed out to make sure they were ok.

“The ambulance was there pretty much straight away. I think the man had a heart attack. He just veered on to the kerb and crashed into the bench.

“It was lucky the ambulance was behind him. They [the paramedics] had a mask on him – they did not take their time.”