Police are appealing for witnesses after a man suffered life- threatening injuries following an accident on the A249.

Both sides of the Stockbury roundabout to the roundabout at junction 7 of the M20 were closed after a blue Vauxhall Corsa crashed into a tree close to the Three Squirrels pub on the Sittingbourne-bound carriageway near Stockbury just before 7.30am this morning.

Firefighters from Sittingbourne and Maidstone used hydraulic cutting equipment to cut the man free from his car so South East Coast Ambulance staff could treat him.

It is understood he suffered a serious head injury and had to be resuscitated at the scene.

Kent Air Ambulance’s fast response team was also called to the scene with the air ambulance arriving moments later at 7.40am.

It then flew the man, who is believed to be in his early 30s, to King’s College Hospital in south London for urgent medical treatment.

Traffic heading for the M2 and Sittingbourne was advised to use a different route until the road re-opened at 11.30am.

No other vehicles were involved in the accident and the man was traveling in his car alone.

Kent Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident and anybody who may have seen the blue Corsa in the area before the collision.

If you have any information which could help the investigation, contact the SCIU on 01622 798538.