Motorcyclist airlifted to hospital and road closed after smash
A motorcyclist has been seriously injured after a crash with a car pulling a horsebox that closed the A49 in Shropshire for several hours.
The crash between Craven Arms and Upper Affcot, near Wistanstow, left the horsebox on its side with the animal still inside.
Police closed the road after the crash at about 7pm this evening and an air ambulance was called to take the motorcyclist to hospital.
A passing community first responder also stopped to help.
Four fire crews attended the scene and specialist animal technicians were dispatched from Wellington to assist with the animal. A land ambulance and a vet were also present.
Chris Kowalik, a West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman, said: "The motorcyclist had a serious head injury, a chest injury and multiple fractures. At the scene, the ambulance crew decompressed his chest and the trauma doctor anaesthetised him and maintained his airway.
"He was taken by land ambulance initially to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for a blood transfusion, then transferred to the major trauma centre at Royal Stoke University Hospital for further treatment."
The road is expected to open at around midnight.
