Five people were taken to hospital after separate crashes in the county today.

Four men were hurt in a collision involving a truck near the Sheppey Crossing at around 6.30am.

And a female driver had to be cut free from her vehicle by firefighters after it overturned just off the M25 near Swanley just before 7am.

In the accident on Sheppey, one man had to be cut from the wreckage of his lorry cab and three others were taken to hospital.

A 52-year-old man is believed to have been on his way to Sheerness market when his van, which was full of meat, broke down.

According to a police spokesman, the man had got out of his van and a lorry crashed into the back of it. The vehicle was knocked off the carriageway and into a field.

He was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital with neck, back and chest injuries.

The driver of the lorry, thought to be a 40-year-old man, had to be cut free from the cabin by firefighters, and was taken to hospital with a shoulder and arm injury, and possible back and neck injuries.

Two other men in their mid-20s were taken to hospital with cuts and bruises.

The meat cargo from the van was all over the road, and police closed the Sheppey Crossing.

Traffic was queued back to Iwade following the incident, and drivers were diverted onto the Kingsferry Bridge until about 1pm.

Meanwhile, the air ambulance was called to the scene of the incident on the A20 London Road at Farningham, near Swanley.

Pumps from fire stations in Dartford, Orpington and Swanley also attended.

A woman, thought to be in her 40s, was driving a white Diahatsu Hijet van which overturned. She had to be freed by firefighters.

No other vehicles were involved but police closed the road, just off the M25, in both directions following the incident.

It is understood the woman was taken to hospital by land ambulance.

Police say the road reopened at around 8.20am.