POLICE were today appealing for witnesses to a fatal road traffic collision on the A34 near Bullington Cross.

It happened at around 5.45pm on Saturday on the northbound carriageway near the Tufton crossroads.

A Vauxhall Zafira was in collision with an HGV lorry travelling in the same direction.

The front seat passenger of the Vauxhall Zafira, a 53-year-old man from Swindon in Wiltshire, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver,  a 40-year-old man, and two rear seat passengers (a 13-year-old girl and 38-year-old man) sustained minor injuries. They had been travelling from Southampton.

The northbound carriageway was closed until 1.45am yesterday.

The driver of the HGV, a 48-year-old man from Poland, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Sergeant Adrienne Jerram of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: “I would appeal to anyone who was travelling northbound or southbound yesterday evening who may have witnessed the incident, or saw either vehicle before the collision to contact us as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information should contact the SCIU at Eastleigh police station on 101 quoting Operation Walney. Alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

South Central Ambulance Service sent three ambulances, an ambulance officer, a rapid response vehicle, and the HART team to the incident.

Two people were taken to Southampton General Hospital and one was taken to North Hampshire Hospital in Basingstoke.

Around 21 firefighters from Redbridge, Winchester, Stockbridge and Whitchurch fire stations were at the scene until 11.20pm.