Two people airlifted from Stradsett and Downham Market to hospital following two separate collisions

Two people have been airlifted to hospital after two separate serious crashes on West Norfolk roads this morning.

Road closures are in place across the borough following the collisions, which have resulted in multiple casualties.

Emergency services were called at 6.36am to reports of a five-vehicle collision on the A1122 at Downham.

There were multiple, critical casualties and one person was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge by air ambulance.

Police remain on the scene and the road is likely to be closed for some time. Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

A woman has also been airlifted to hospital following a collision between a lorry and a car on the A134 at Stradsett at around 7.18am.

One woman in her 40s was taken by air ambulance to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge with serious injuries. Police have reported that the road has now reopened.

Police are appealing to motorists to drive carefully after the two crashes in the borough, as well as another in the county, on the A47 between Hockering and Honington.

A woman has been taken to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital in a critical condition following the collision at 10.56am. The road is closed in both directions.

Inspector Simon Jones of Norfolk and Suffolk Roads Policing Unit said forensic accident investigators were working at all three locations.

Although the circumstances of the incidents were not yet known, he urged drivers to take extra care on the roads during the cold weather, which created hazardous driving conditions even on gritted roads.

Insp Jones said: “This series of collisions follows a weekend of tragedy on the county’s roads, with six people killed in four crashes between Friday and Sunday.

“While we can’t comment on the causes of those collisions and those that have happened this morning, one thing is clear that weather conditions are exceptionally cold which leads to icy and hazardous driving conditions.

“Our plea to motorists is to please take extra care on the roads in the coming days while this weather continues.

"Low temperatures overnight mean some of our roads are extremely icy and this isn’t always visible to the driver.

“Travelling at slower speeds in these conditions will give you more time to react to unforeseen hazards.”