A FEMALE pillion passenger who was left fighting for life following an horrific motorcycle accident in North Dorset is out of immediate danger.

The woman, who was airlifted to hospital following the collision, which left the motorcycle rider also seriously injured, is no longer in a life-threatening condition, Dorset Police have confirmed.

Emergency services rushed to the A30 Shaftesbury Road, near Henstridge, at 6.20pm on Thursday following reports of a collision between a Ford Focus and a Honda motorbike.

South Western Ambulance Service deployed a rapid response vehicle and an ambulance to the scene.

On arrival they discovered the occupants of the Ford were unhurt, but the woman passenger of the motorbike was in a serious condition and was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital by the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

The male motorcyclist sustained serious injuries, which are not thought to be life threatening, and was taken by land ambulance to Yeovil District Hospital.

Speaking on Thursday night, a Dorset Police spokesman said: “A collision occurred between a Ford Focus motor vehicle driven by a male from Worcester and a Honda motorcycle ridden by a male from Templecombe in company with his female pillion passenger.

“Both vehicles had been travelling west from Shaftesbury direction and the Ford vehicle had slowed to turn right into a lay-by at this location.

“The motorcycle has collided with the rear offside of the Ford as it was making its turn.”

He said the motorcyclist and his passenger were “thrown from their vehicle” and the female pillion passenger’s injuries are life-threatening.

The road was closed for more than three hours as officers investigated at the scene.

Any witnesses to the incident are asked to call Dorset Police on 101 quoting incident 30:364.