An elderly man died and another was seriously injured in a road smash.

A dog was also killed in the crash which happened shortly after 11pm last night near Maldon.

Police and fire crews from Maldon, Chelmsford and a rescue vehicle from Leigh-on-Sea were called to the scene at the junction of Fambridge Road and Burnham Road near to Redgate Farm in Mundon.

Fire fighters spent 20 minutes cutting two men from an Austin Maestro Saloon which had been in collision with a Range Rover.

The driver of the Maestro, who is thought to be from the Chelmsford area, was pronounced dead at the scene while his passenger was taken to Broomfield Hospital with serious injuries.

His condition has been described today as "serious".

The woman driver of the Range Rover, from Althorne, near Maldon, escaped with minor injuries.

Chelmsford Traffic Police are now setting out to track down the owners of the large labrador dog which is thought to have been killed when one of the cars struck it.

In a separate incident early this morning a Ford Escort was involved in a collision with a telegraph pole at Barnston, near Dunmow.

The driver was taken to Broomfield Hospital after the crash, which happened at 6am, while large vehicles were banned from using the road because the pole had partially obscured the road.

Engineers from Eastern Electricity were called to the scene to make the area safe.

If anyone has any information about either incident, or the identity of the dog they should contact Sue Powl at Chelmsford Traffic Police 01245 491491.

A man injured in a crash yesterday is said to be in a serious but stable condition.

The driver of a Rover 214 was hurt after his car was in a collision with a Dairy Crest lorry in Bakers Lane, Black Notley, yesterday morning.

Police said the man, who has not been named, had suffered a broken pelvis, two broken legs, chest and head injuries.

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