THERE were urgent calls today for action on the A37 following a horror smash which left two men seriously injured.

The driver of one car had to be given emergency medical attention before being cut free following the collision close to the Long Ash service station near Frampton.

His passenger was also treated at the scene before both were rushed to hospital.

The incident occurred on Sunday night when a Renault Laguna being driver by an off-duty nurse was in collision with a car pulling out of the service station.

The manager of the Long Ash garage Ross Beale said there had been a number of crashes on that road. He is now calling for a central turning lane to be installed on the road “We have been asking for something to be done about the road for ages,” he said.

“It is a dangerous part of the road and where there are two side roads with pulling in and pulling out of the junction.

“People are met with drivers travelling at high speeds sometimes in the middle of the road.

“I can’t see why improvements have been made further up the road but not here when it is really needed.”

He added: “Sometimes people pull out of here and can’t really gauge the speed of the approaching vehicle or bike and then accidents happen.”

Meanwhile, the nurse has been hailed a hero for helping to save the driver’s life–despite being injured himself.

Matthew Phillips was travelling home from work at Dorset County Hospital when he was involved in the collision.

He managed to get out of his car and went to the aid of the two men in the other car – both of whom were unconscious. Mr Phillips, 35, said: “I was just driving along and suddenly a car suddenly appeared in front of me.

“When I got there both were initially unconscious and the driver appeared to have serious leg injuries and was trapped. I managed to help them both before the ambulance and fire service arrived.

“The driver was slumped over unconscious and I just helped him by freeing his airways until he became conscious – he seemed to have a very nasty leg fracture and was later freed by the fire service.

“The passenger got out of the car and other people that had stopped went and got fire extinguishers because the engines were smoking.

“Everyone who helped out were really good and the men from the car were lucky help was at hand so quickly.”

Mr Phillips, of Yeovil, was assisted by another off-duty nurse who stopped at the crash scene and customers from the nearby Long Ash service station.

Two fire engines, from Dorchester and Maiden Newton, and two ambulances attended the scene and Dorset Police shut the road for almost two hours while the emergency services worked to free the trapped man and clear the road.

Maiden Newton Station Commander Andy Elliott, was the fire officer in charge at the scene.

He said: “I was really impressed by the actions of Mr Phillips who had the presence of mind to attend to the two injured victims.

“It is not as if he was a casual passer-by. He had been involved in a very serious crash himself and still managed to administer first aid.

“Clearing and maintaining airways would certainly assist in saving the life of someone who was unconscious in such a situation. It was a heroic act.”

The two casualties were taken to Dorset County Hospital with serious but not life threatening injuries.

Jane Collins, who was on duty at the service station at the time of the smash, said: “I heard the crash and saw a car spinning off the road. The police said there was a nurse on the scene who had been involved in the collision.

“They said later on that the injuries weren’t as bad as they first feared and if the nurse managed to clear their airways and give emergency first aid that prevented something more serious then that’s brilliant.”