Two men underwent surgery following a road accident in which nine people were injured.

One of the passengers in a red Ford Escort XR3 had to be cut free by firefighters and was taken to Colchester General Hospital by the Essex Air Ambulance following the crash in St Osyth.

The man - who has not been named but was in his mid-20s and comes from Colchester - was one of four people in the car.

The driver, who is a similar age and comes from Clacton, was taken to hospital by ambulance.

PC Kevin Carter, of Thorpe Traffic Police, said that both had leg and internal injuries and underwent surgery.

"Both will be in hospital for some time but they are in a stable condition and their injuries are not life-threatening," he said.

It took firefighters from Clacton and Colchester almost an hour to get the man cut free from the car.

Two other passengers, who were both from the Clacton area, went to hospital but were released after treatment.

Five people - three adults and two children - were in the other vehicle involved in the collision, a grey Vokswagen Passat.

None were seriously hurt and were all released after being treated at hospital.

The two cars were in a collision near the Beehive pub at a staggered crossroads at Chisbon Heath, St Osyth, at 11.35am on Sunday.

PC Carter said a number of witnesses had come forward but he was appealing for more.

He said was also keen to trace any witnesses who may have seen the Escort being driven around the Great Bentley area earlier in the day.

Police declined to give further details of the accident.

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