EMERGENCY services had to cut a van driver from the wreckage of his vehicle after an accident during rush hour on Monday morning.

A section of the Basingstoke ring road was reduced to one lane after the van overturned, landing on its side.

All three emergency services were called to the scene, on Ringway North, beneath the Reading Road Roundabout, at 8.26am, after the driver of an Initial City Link van apparently lost control while trying to avoid a lorry.

The driver of the van, Darren Cavanagh, 38, from Basingstoke, suffered cuts and bruises when he released his seat belt, causing him to fall down into the passenger side of the van.

Mr Cavanagh, who is employed by the Basingstoke-based firm, was removed from the Mercedes van by the firefighters who cut out the vehicle's windscreen and helped him out with the aid of paramedics.

He was taken to Basingstoke hospital for a check-up but was allowed to return home almost immediately.

Pc Andrew Neilson, of Farnborough Roads Policing Unit, said: "It seems the van driver swerved to avoid a lorry that had pulled out in front of him.

"The driver broke heavily and swerved, causing the van to clip the Armco barrier and overturn.

"Traffic flow was not too badly affected as that section of road is not particularly busy at that time of day. One lane had to be closed but there weren't too many problems."

Police are appealing for the driver of the lorry - who they say might not have realised the accident had happened - to contact them to help with enquiries.

The 17-tonne lorry, which was red and brown, was carrying a forklift truck.

A spokesman from City Link said the company would be looking into the incident.

Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information should call Pc Chris Maggs, at the roads policing unit, on 0845 045 4545.