A husband and wife have been taken to hospital after their car hit a van today in Luton Road, Chatham.

The road was closed for an hour and a half as police, ambulance and fire crews attended to the couple, thought to be in their 60s.

The male driver of the silver Renault Megane Scenic escaped but firefighters had to cut off the roof to free his wife, who suffered potential spinal injuries.

Andy Chambers, crew manager at Medway Fire Station, said: "We were called to reports of a small collision between a car and a van.

"We stabilised the vehicle and used cutting equipment to remove the roof."

Crowds gathered after the crash, which happened outside Luton Junior School just before 11.20am.

Blockmakers Court resident Bill Khan said: "I drove past and it looked as if a tipper van had reversed out and hit the Renault. The passenger side of the Renault was completely finished.

"The traffic was backed up all the way to the bottom of Chatham Hill."

A police spokesman said the pair were taken to Medway Maritime Hospital but their injuries were not thought to be serious.

The road was re-opened by 1pm.