An elderly couple have been rushed to hospital after being hit by a van in Folkestone town centre.

Officers were called at around 1.30pm after the man, aged in his 80s, was knocked down near Sainsbury's.

He has been taken to hospital in London where he is said to be suffering serious but not life-threatening injuries.

A second casualty, an elderly woman, was also treated by paramedics and was taken to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.

Both the man and the woman were pedestrians, a spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance (Secamb) said.

A witness said they saw three police cars and an ambulance at the scene in Bouverie Road West and it looked as though an injured elderly man was laying on the ground.

The spokesman for Secamb added: "It looks as though they were together, two elderly people. They both sustained head and leg injuries.

"A man in his 80s was taken to the trauma unit at King's College Hospital in London. The man had leg injuries predominantly. It could be quite serious given their age.

"Both were taken by road ambulance."

A police spokesman said officers attended with Secamb, but did not provide more details about how the incident happened.

The incident is not thought to be a hit and run.

The road reopened just before 4pm.