A DRIVER suffering serious multiple injuries had to be cut free from a Ford Escort car after it was in a head-on crash with a tipper lorry in Sittingbourne.

The driver, in his 20s, was flown to Maidstone hospital by air ambulance after the incident at about 9.40am Saturday in Highsted Road.

The road was closed for several hours after the accident as police crash investigators examined the scene.

The driver of the tipper lorry was unhurt. Leading firefighter Mark Innes said: "The driver suffered multiple injuries to his head, face, arm and legs. The casualty was very ill and we needed to work closely with the paramedics."

Kent air ambulance landed on a playing field at nearby Highsted Grammar School for Girls and the man was flown to hospital for ntensive care.