Road closed as man cut from smash

TWO men were seriously injured after their cars collided head-on in a crash north of Rotorua.

Bystanders had to help two men, including one who was trapped inside his white car, until emergency services arrived.

Staff from the Daily Post were among about half a dozen other people who came across the crash about 10.30am on Saturday on State Highway 5, about 2km north of the Mamaku turnoff.

The drivers of each vehicle - two men - were airlifted to Waikato Hospital with serious injuries.

There were no other people involved in the crash.



Bystanders tried to help reassure the man trapped in his car until emergency services arrived.

The jaws of life were needed to cut him free from the wreckage.

He received serious leg and head injuries.

The other driver, who was in a brown car, was helped by passing motorists on the grass verge next to the crash site. Hospital representatives confirmed yesterday the two men were in a stable condition.

Constable Russell Lowe, of the Rotorua police, said police would be investigating the cause of the crash, including taking blood samples to rule out alcohol and drugs as a factor.

St John Ambulance paramedics, the Fire Service and police attended, with the road closed for nearly two hours.