Emergency services were called to a serious collision at the Smeeth crossroads in the early hours of this morning.

A crash occurred between a red Ford Fiesta and white Transit van, and the air ambulance, land ambulance and fire crews all attended the scene.

The incident happened on Hythe Road at the crossroads with Station Road, near Smeeth.

Fire crews attended the scene at 6.33am and remained there for an hour and a half, when they cut the car driver free from the wreckage. They used hydraulic rescue equipment to cut the roof off the car.

The air ambulance attended and the casualty was airlifted to a London hospital.

A police spokesman said: "Kent Police was called at 6.19am today following reports of a collision involving a car and a van on the A20 in Smeeth, Ashford.

"Kent Fire and Rescue Service attended to cut the driver of the car free, and he has been taken to a London hospital.

"The van driver has been taken to a local hospital with a leg injury."