A MAN was rushed to hospital with a serious head injury after a car crashed in Leigh.

The 26-year-old man, from Rayleigh, was a passenger in the Vauxhall Astra when it smashed through a wooden fence and trees in Eastwood Road, at the junction with the entrance of Belfairs Golf Club.

The man was taken to hospital with potentially life-threatening head wound.

The driver, a 28-year-old man from Westcliff, was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving while under the influence of drink or drugs.

He has since been released under investigation.

A driver, who asked not to be named, passing the incident, said: “When I saw what happened, I just couldn’t believe the car had ploughed straight through the fence, it looked really bad, it was in quite a state.

“I just hope whoever was in there and got hurt makes a quick recovery.

“It was all one-way traffic around the crash where the road had been cordoned off by police.” During the incident, Insp Rob Brettell of Essex Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Yet again my team find themselves at a scene of another serious collision in Eastwood Road.

“Near to Belfairs Park is closed.

“Please avoid area while we investigate.”

The police officers were joined by a fire crew who helped cone off the area at about 6.40pm last Friday.

Essex Police have said the injured man still remains in a serious condition following the crash.

If you have any information, CCTV or dashcam footage of the crash, contact Chigwell Roads Policing Unit on 101 quoting incident number 990 of August 31.