The two car smash occurred around 11.40am on Wednesday and blocked the A17 Heckington bypass for around four hours causing traffic tailbacks to Sleaford and gridlock through Heckington village.

A woman driving a black Vauxhall Astra from Caistor-On-Sea suffered serious but not life threatening injuries and was flown by air ambulance to Boston Pilgrim Hospital. She was later said to be stable.

The female driver of a silver VW Golf injured her leg, kneecap and ribs and went to Lincoln County Hospital. She was also stable.

Traffic was initially diverted through Heckington village but came to a standstill as heavy lorries struggled along the narrow streets and pinch points with cars parked both side, forcing police to temporarily reopen the A17 to traffic eastbound before closing the road again during the afternoon to allow the cars to be cleared as one was in the middle of the road and the other in a ditch.

Diversions were set up at Holdingham roundabout and at the road to South Kyme off the A17 until the road was finally reopened around 4pm.