A CYCLIST died following a collision with a car in Crossways.

The man, described as being between 55 to 60 years old, was involved in an accident with a car outside the Texaco petrol station on Warmwell Road on Thursday night.

Police said the man had been involved in a collision with a Ford Ka driven by a woman in her 30s. Both are believed to be from Crossways.

The man is not being named until next of kin have been notified.

The woman was arrested and was being questioned about the incident.

West Dorset District Councillor, Peter Read said that the community was reeling with shock.

He said: “I think the community will be angry and stunned that more attention hasn’t been paid to community worries about traffic accidents and their increase in the last five to six years.”

He added: “It’s a loss of a valuable and well-known villager and something that can only be described as wasteful.”

Coun Read said that he would be ready to offer any support he could to friends and family of the man and called on people to not gossip but await a full inquest to learn all the facts.

The man had been a regular at The Frampton Arms pub in nearby Moreton for years, where staff described him as a ‘popular and pleasant man', who ‘kept himself to himself’.

One Crossways resident said: “It’s tragic. Someone’s life has gone and someone has to deal with it for their life.”

Residents on Warmwell Road reported hearing sirens and seeing blue flashing lights in the road late on Tuesday night.

Police crash scene investigators were on site yesterday morning and officers were taking statements from residents.

Holidaymakers attempting to check into the Crossways Caravan Park next door to the garage had not been able to get to the park due to the police road block in the early hours of yesterday.

Warden at Crossways Caravan Park, Sarah Daniel-Ruthen said: “No-one heard anything last night as we are set back from the road, but one of our holidaymakers had to stay in the Moreton Railway Station overnight because they couldn’t get in.”

An ambulance spokesman said: “We treated the man for severe head injuries for over 20 minutes to try to stabilise him before taking him to Dorset County Hospital, where unfortunately he succumbed to his injuries.

“An ambulance from Dorchester and a paramedic attended the incident due to the severity of the injuries.”