FIVE people have been injured after a serious crash which left the A11 blocked in both directions at the Elveden crossroads.

It happened at around 2.30pm, and police, fire and ambulance services were all sent to the scene.

The two-vehicle collision happened between the B1106 and A11 and involved a Toyota and a VW car.

The driver of the VW, a 29-year-old man from Coventry, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking and is currently being held at the West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds.

One of the rear seat passengers of the Toyota suffered leg injuries and has been taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge. A further rear seat passenger has arm and shoulder injuries and has been taken to the West Suffolk Hospital and a front seat passenger has sustained arm and pelvic injuries and has been taken by air ambulance to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, in Norwich. The driver sustained leg and facial injuries and taken to West Suffolk Hospital.

Fire crews from Mildenhall and Thetford stabilised the vehicles and then removed the casualties from the wreckage with the help of paramedics.

By 3.30pm some of the casualties had been released and taken to hospital by land and air ambulances.

Others remained trapped and it wasn’t until 4.10pm that all casualties had been freed and conveyed to hospital.

Diversions were put in place and the road remained closed for nearly six hours before being opened at 8.15pm.

Witnesses to the collision are asked to call the Serious Collision Investigation Team on 101.