A SECURITY guard suffered a severely broken leg and possible internal injuries following a serious head-on smash near Fordham.

Emergency services, including four fire crews, an ambulance, a paramedic manager and the Essex Air Ambulance, were called to the three-vehicle collision on the A1124 Halstead Road, close to its junction with Ford Street, at 8.10am today.

The security worker, aged about 25, was cut free from the white Renault Kangoo van after it collided with a black Hyundai Coupe car and a red Mini.

The driver of the car, from Harwich, suffered suspected spinal injuries and was taken to Colchester General Hospital for treatment.

A spokeswoman for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said two crews from Colchester, a crew from Halstead and a crew from Nayland were called to the scene.

They used one set of specialist cutting equipment to release the man by 9.30am, following which he was flown to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

No-one in the Mini was injured.

The road was closed in both directions while emergency services dealt with the collision and the scene was cleared by 10.20am.

Witnesses to the crash are asked to call PC Craig Wheeler, at Stanway Road Policing Unit, on 0300 333 4444.