A man in his 50s has died after his van crashed in a field near Blandford and caught fire.

At 5.42pm on Friday, June 1 2018, Dorset Police received a call from the fire service reporting a vehicle on fire in a field near to Whatcombe Lane in Winterborne Whitchurch.

It was reported that the vehicle, a red Peugeot Expert van, had left a farm track and ended up in the field.

Police and the ambulance service attended but sadly the driver of the van, a 54-year-old man from the local area, was pronounced dead at the scene. There was nobody else in the van and no other vehicles involved.

Police Sergeant Craig Tatton, of the traffic unit, said: “The man’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers at this difficult time.

“We are carrying out a thorough investigation to establish exactly what happened and I am appealing to anyone who witnesses the incident, or who saw the vehicle in the area around the relevant time, to contact us.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting incident number 1:364.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org