FIREFIGHTERS were called to London Road in Benfleet following a head-on collision between two cars.

Two fire crews from Rayleigh Weir station attended the scene, on Bread and Cheese Hill, just after 7am.

The road was temporarily closed after the collision, which involved a red Vauxhall Combo van and a silver Citroen saloon.

Firefighters used specialist cutting equipment to cut the rood off a vehicle and free a trapped casualty.

A spokesman from the station said: “The incident involved two casualties. We cut one person out of a car, and another was taken out on a board.”

Working with paramedics and Police at the scene, crews had released the casualty around 8am, and both casualties were taken to Southend Hospital.

A spokesman from Essex Police said: “Police attended Bread and Cheese Hill on the A13 in Benfleet at just after 7am today following reports of a collision involving two vehicles. They were a red Vauxhall Combo van and a silver Citroen saloon.

“The road was closed for just over two hours whilst the vehicles were removed from the scene.”