A woman in her 40s has been taken to hospital in a critical condition after a crash on the A120 near Coggeshall this morning.

Emergency services were called at 8.20am to the northbound carriageway to reports of a multi-vehicle crash.

Three ambulances, a rapid response car, two ambulance officers and the Hearts and Essex air ambulance car were sent to treat three patients.

A W registration red Vauxhall Corsa and a red Ford Fiesta were involved in the crash.

Fire crews from Braintree and Coggeshall were called to cut a Colchester woman in her 40s out of the Corsa, and she was treated for serious head injuries by paramedics.

She was taken by land ambulance to Addenbrooke’s Hospital where she is in a critical condition.

Two men were treated for minor injuries at the scene.

The section of road was closed between the West Street junction and Marks Farm roundabout while emergency services carried out investigation work and recovery at the scene.

A diversion was put in place via the A131 to Chelmsford and the A12.

Police are particularly keen to hear from anyone who saw the Corsa, which was travelling towards Braintree, before the collision.

The accident was one of three to happen on the A120 this morning.

Another incident also happened on the A120 at Marks Tey shortly after 7am.

An Essex Police spokeswoman said a lorry had been involved at junction 25 northbound for the A12.

The crash caused one lane of the A120 to be closed and the junction to the A12 to be closed, causing severe delays in the area.

There were understood to only be minor injuries.

A five-vehicle crash then took place on the A120 at 7.24am in Wix, on the eastbound carriageway.

An ambulance service spokesman said an ambulance and ambulance officer attended, where they treated two patients with minor injuries.

Both were taken to Colchester Hospital.