A TEACHER from a Weymouth school is in a serious condition after he and two other members of staff were involved in a head-on collision.

Ben Rhodes, a PE teacher at All Saints' School in Wyke Regis, suffered serious injuries in the smash on the A37 Dorchester to Yeovil road.

The driver of a Ford Fiesta involved in the head-on smash with the Isuzu four-wheel drive vehicle which Mr Rhodes and three others were travelling in, was declared dead at the scene of the accident.

He has been named today by Dorset Police as Robert Bruce Purnell, a 25-year-old machinist from Yeovil.

PE teacher Karen Rowe and Kris Stuttle, office administrator at All Saints', were also hurt in the accident, along with Kris's businessman husband, Chris Stuttle.

Today Tim Balmforth, headteacher at All Saints' School said: "We are all very concerned for the four of them and our thoughts and prayers are with them."

Mr Stuttle has been released from Yeovil District Hospital today.

The road accident - which blocked the A37 several hours on Saturday as rescue teams cleared the debris - happened after the Ford Fiesta was overtaking a car and collided with the Isuzu which was towing a caravan.

Dorchester Traffic Police have already issued an appeal for witnesses to the accident and say they are particularly anxious to trace the driver of a dark-coloured saloon travelling in the opposite direction, which overtook the Isuzu moments before the crash.

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to contact Dorchester Police traffic section on (01305) 226861.