A MULTI-VEHICLE smash forced the closure of a road near Southend Airport this afternoon.

The accident, thought to have happened around 1pm, closed Rochford Road in both directions between the Harp House Roundabout and Ravenswood Chase.

Both the police and ambulance services were on the scene as the road was closed and casualties attended to.

Luke Martin lives opposite the site of the accident, on Manners Way, and saw the aftermath of the crash.

He said: "I didn't see the crash itself but there were two police cars and lots of ambulances.

"It looked to me like two cars were involved, one had maybe hit oncoming traffic, but I couldn't say for sure.

"It looked bad, I could see the ambulance using a stretcher."

A spokesperson for the ambulance said: "We were called at 12:48 to Rochford Road, Southend to reports of a two-vehicle road traffic collission and sent two ambulances and an ambulance officer.

"We treated three patients, one for a facial injury, one with a neck injury and one with a back injury.

"Two patients were taken to Southend Hospital."

The road was clear again by 2.15pm and a recovery vehicle was on scene to collect a stranded white Ford Fiesta by 2.30pm.