AN 18-year-old man was left fighting for life and another man was seriously injured in a horror crash on the Weymouth to Bridport coast road.

Two other people, including a five-year-old boy, were also hurt in the accident on Friday night.

All four were travelling in the same car, which overturned and rolled on to its roof on the B3157, east of the junction with Clay Lane, West Bexington.

The 18-year old rear seat passenger was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital with serious and possibly life-threatening injuries.

The driver, a 39-year-old man, was airlifted by police helicopter to Dorset County Hospital with potentially life-changing injuries.

A five-year-old boy and another 18-year-old man were both taken to the same hospital but later discharged.

Police, firefighters, coastguard and ambulance crews attended .

Fire crews from Bridport used hydraulic rescue equipment to free two of the passengers, who had become trapped in the vehicle.

A Dorset Police spokesman said: “A green Rover MG saloon travelling west left the carriageway and rolled, coming to rest on its roof with a number of the four occupants, all from Charminster, being trapped.

“The driver, a 39-year-old male, was airlifted to Dorset County Hospital suffering potentially life-changing injuries. The rear-seat passenger, an 18-year-old, was airlifted by coastguard to Southampton Gen-eral Hospital, with serious and possibly life-threatening injuries.

“The remaining male occupants aged five and 18 years, were taken to Dorset County Hosp-ital and later discharged with minor injuries.”

The accident happened on a stretch of coast road, which has been the subject of campaigns.

A £1m Dorset County Council project to make the stretch safer was completed last year but residents say more needs to be done.

Campaigner Tony Edwards, owner of the Sea Fret Bed and Breakfast, said: “The accident was about half a mile along the road from our house.

“The first awareness we had was a couple of fire engines flying by.

“It was obviously a serious accident because a helicopter landed and then the coastguard helicopter landed in the field nearby.

“We really hope that the people involved will be okay. “This particular stretch of the road, more than any, needs serious attention. We don’t know the cause of this accident but there is something wrong with the speed of this road.

“There are lots of unfamiliar drivers that think it’s a nice clearway for driving, with tragic consequences.”

Ward councillor Alistair Chisholm said: “One’s heart goes out to those whose lives are going to be affected by what’s happened.

“Let’s hope and pray that modern science and medicine can give the best possible outcome.”