A MAN was airlifted to hospital after being knocked down by a car in Hadleigh.

Police were forced to shut the A13 London Road, between Rayleigh Road at the Victoria House Roundabout and New Road, after a man was badly hurt at about 9.45am yesterday.

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Paramedics in a rapid response vehicle, ambulances and the air ambulance were called to the scene.

The man, in his forties, was taken to the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, by air ambulance. He had serious injuries to his head and legs.

He was in a stable condition.

It is thought the incident happened when the man tried to cross the road at a pedestrian crossing on the Southend-bound carriageway at the junction of London Road and New Road, just before Morrisons.

He was hit by a Ford Fiesta, driven bya43-year-old woman from Benfleet. She was not hurt.

David Hurrell of Willow Walk, Hadleigh, said: “The place was crawling with PSCOs and paramedics.

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They were not allowing anyone near the pedestrian crossing, presumably because they want to carry out forensics.

“It’s not an accident blackspot really, but you do get a few people who jump the lights, soIdon’t know if that’s what happened here.”

Motorists experienced severe delays in and around Hadleigh as drivers queued to get on to the A127 to avoid the area.

An Essex Police spokeswoman said: “A 51-year-old man has been airlifted to a London hospital after sustaining serious head, leg and neck injuries. He is currently in a serious but stable condition in hospital and will require surgery in the following few days.

“A section of the road was closed while police investigated the circumstances surrounding the collision.”

The road was reopened by 1pm. Witnesses can call police on 101.