The local community has been shocked in recent days at the frequency of serious road collisions that have occurred in a short space of time; two drivers have died, one other driver has been seriously injured, and a pedestrian has suffered life-changing injuries, after having been hit by two cars.

The most recent collision occurred on the A40 in Lea on Sunday, November 22nd, at approximately 6.40pm. The West Midlands Ambulance Service cut a man free from his car, and sedated him after he suffered multiple serious injuries when a silver Subaru Impreza and a lorry collided.

A blue Vauxhall Vectra is also believed to have been involved and came to a stop in a hedgerow.

The driver of the Subaru, a 21 year-old-man, sustained serious head and leg injuries. The lorry driver, a 37 year-old-man, was uninjured.

Multiple resources from the ambulance service were sent to the scene. These included two ambulances, a paramedic area support officer, a community paramedic, two British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS) doctors, a Medical Emergency Response Incident Team (MERIT), a trauma doctor and the Midlands Air Ambulance crew from Strensham in a rapid response vehicle.

The West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service also attended the incident with two appliances from Ross-on-Wye, one crew from Hereford, an incident support vehicle and a Station Commander.

A spokesman from the West Midlands Ambulance Service told the Ross Gazette: “On arrival, crews found a man, thought to be in his 20s, who was semi-conscious and trapped in his car following collision with a HGV. The car had suffered front end damage.

“A rapid extrication took place due to the condition of the patient with crews working alongside the fire service to carefully cut him out of the car. He was treated for multiple injuries including a serious head injury, a right arm fracture and fractures to both of his legs. He was also treated for a suspected pelvic injury.”

A spokesperson from the Fire Service told the Gazette:“One male casualty was severely trapped, and was removed from the car using heavy rescue equipment, combigear, and he was conveyed to hospital.”

The man, who was immobilised, was also anaesthetised in order to stabilise his condition before he was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. His injuries are thought to be extremely serious.

Police officers are keen to speak to anyone who witnessed the incident, or saw any of the vehicles prior to the collision. If you have any information about this, please call police on the non-emergency 101 number, quoting the incident reference number 543s of Sunday November 22nd.

In another incident, which happened less than 24 hours previously, along the same stretch of road, but in Weston under Penyard, a pedestrian was seriously injured, and was taken to a major trauma centre in Birmingham, after he was hit by two cars.

Emergency Services were called on Saturday, November 21st, at 10.15pm to the A40 at Weston under Penyard. Two vehicles, a blue Kia Picanto travelling along the A40 towards Gloucester, and a blue Vauxhall Corsa, travelling in the opposite direction, are believed to have been in collision with the pedestrian, a 37-year-old man.

The man was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham with serious head injuries, and the Gazette has been told that he is in a stable condition.

West Mercia Police are urging any witnesses to come forward; this does not only include witnesses to the incident itself, but anyone who saw the pedestrian before the collision, or if they know where he came from. Witnesses are asked to call West Mercia Police on 101, quoting incident 728S of Saturday November 21st.

From the West Midlands Ambulance Service, a community first responder, an ambulance crew and a paramedic area support officer initially attended the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “The pedestrian, a man who is believed to be in his thirties, had head, chest and abdominal injuries. Following initial assessment and treatment at the scene, the ambulance crew took him to Ross-on-Wye to a rendez-vous point with a BASICS doctor.

“It was at this location that the West Midlands Ambulance Service MERIT Team, consisting of a trauma doctor and critical care practitioner arrived.

“The BASICS doctor who was from the Mercia Accident Rescue Service (MARS) performed his own examination and found he needed anaesthetic. When the MERIT team arrived, they gave him a general anaesthetic, maintained his airways and accompanied the ambulance crew as they took him to the major trauma centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

“While en-route, the man’s condition worsened and the trauma doctor performed the surgical procedure of a bilateral thoracotomy.”

In a collision which occurred on Thursday, November 19th, on the A49 at Kingsthorne, near Callow Hill, a man died in a crash. The man has been named as 36 year old Joseph Mayers from Hereford.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the fatal crash. A spokesperson from the police said:?“At around 10.57am on Thursday, November 19th a collision occurred on the A49 at Kingsthorne, Hereford.

“A red Renault Clio, which had been travelling on the A49 in a northbound direction towards Hereford and a DAF XF lorry travelling in the opposite direction, were involved in collision next to Helen’s Wood, Kingsthorne, south of the junction with the A466.”

An ambulance, together with a paramedic officer in a rapid response vehicle, attended the scene. A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman told the Ross Gazette “Crews attended a road traffic collision involving a car and lorry. Sadly, it quickly became apparent that nothing could be done to save the patient who was confirmed dead at the scene.

“The lorry driver involved was assessed at the scene but did not require hospital treatment.”

36-year-old Joseph Mayers, was pronounced dead at the scene, and his next of kin have been informed. The driver of the lorry, a 29-year-old man from the Stoke-on-Trent area was treated by paramedics at the scene, but did not require hospital treatment.

The road was closed for most of the day and into the night, while police carried out investigations and the recovery of the lorry, which was down an embankment.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the collision, or who was in the area at the time, to contact them on 101 quoting the reference: 192S 191115.

In the first of these serious collisions, 24 year old, Ivan Thomas Wemyss was seriously injured in a road traffic collision on Friday, November 6th. He died in hospital on Monday, November 9th.

Ivan was also known as Ian and Devvo. Ivan was a massive car lover, particularly Peugeot. Since his death, his friends have taken part in several convoys, most recently on Monday, November 23rd.

Some of Ivan’s closest friends have set up an online donation page, to raise funds to help pay towards the cost of his funeral. At the time the Ross Gazette went to press, £1,335 had been raised in the space of seven days.