SHOCKED witnesses to a fatal crash today told how they had to watch helplessly as a car was engulfed in flames with two people trapped inside.

The devastating crash on the notorious stretch of the A37 north of Dorchester known as ‘death valley’ resulted in the deaths of a local couple, both in their 80s.

Their blue Honda Jazz collided with an articulated lorry at the Holywell Cross junction near Evershot on Friday.

Heroic witnesses and residents flocked to the scene and said they were unable to get the casualties out of the car because of the flames.

One of the first drivers that stopped to help was Ferdie van der Marwe who said the whole thing was ‘horrific’.

“I saw the car flying across the road and then everyone stopped – I got out to see what happened and phoned 999,” he said.

“There were people all around trying to get the people out of the car but it was impossible because the car was bowed and the doors wouldn’t open.

“Everyone was trying to find a fire extinguisher but no one had one and the fire quickly went from a smouldering blaze to a rapid blaze at speed.

“No one knew what to do – it was so distressing all we could do was stand by.

“We had to wait for about seven minutes before the fire service arrived and by then it was just too late.”

Mr van der Marwe, who works for a Dorchester-based transport company and lives in Henstridge, added: “I think if we had fire extinguishers we could have prevented at least one person from dying.

“My prayers are now with the friends and family of the couple in that vehicle.”

Dorset Police confirmed the people who died were a man and woman in their 80s, contrary to earlier police reports that two women were involved in the accident.

The lorry driver, a 44-year-old man from Taunton, was treated for serious injuries at Yeovil Hospital.

Holywell residents Rex and Wendy Wright heard the crash from their garden and rushed to help.

They described the scene as ‘awful’ and called for improvements to be made to the road which they described as ‘murderous.’ Mr Wright said junction improvements should be a priority and suggested a slip lane to slow vehicles.

He said: “Sometimes when you are in the middle reservation trying to turn into Holywell people are thundering past you at 60mph on both sides and people even overtake you on the other side of the road.

“It’s a scary junction and something needs to be done.”

Margaret Chidley, who lives close to the junction, said: “People are going way too fast on that road. I have been here for 22 years and it seems to be getting worse.

“There were a lot of crashes before and this just goes to show that something needs to be done.”

Nearby resident Brenda Gartell said she heard an ‘almighty bang’ on Friday and said it was just one of three crashes on the road she described as atrocious.

They included a collision between a minibus and a car near the Clay Pigeon Raceway at Wardon Hill which resulted in three people being taken to hospital including one by air ambulance.

On the same stretch of road on Saturday a van driver needed treatment after a two-vehicle collision.

West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin MP has been campaigning for improvements to the road since 2003.

He said: “The horrific accident on Friday proves once again that we need more measures to keep the A37 safe.

“It is an open road but we can’t just go on seeing horrific accidents happen without taking further steps to make it a safe road.

“Some improvements have been made but we still need more.”

In 2002 five Dorset motorists were killed on the A37 including a 39-year-old from Weymouth who died when his motorcycle was in collision with a car at Holywell Cross.

Police are appealing for any witnesses to contact them on 01305 222222.