A man had to be cut from the wreckage of his lorry cab and three other men were taken to hospital after an accident near the Sheppey Crossing.

It happened at about 6.30am today coming on to the Island.

A 52-year-old man is believed to have been on his way to Sheerness market when his van, which was full of meat, broke down.

According to a Kent Police spokesman, the man had got out of his van and a lorry crashed into the back of it.

He was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital with neck, back and chest injuries.

The vehicle was knocked off the carriageway and into a field.

The driver of the lorry, thought to be a 40-year-old man, had to be cut free from the cabin by firefighters, and was taken to hospital with a shoulder and arm injury, and possible back and neck injuries.

Matt Deadman, crew manager at Sittingbourne fire station, said: “The lorry had jackknifed and the cab was quite a mess – a road sign had gone through the window screen.

“We believe [the driver] had been thrown into the passenger side of the vehicle.

“The door was crushed and we used hydraulic spreaders to pull the door locking mechanism away from the post and bent it back to get access and we removed him on a spinal board.”

Two other men in their mid-20s were taken to hospital with cuts and bruises.

The meat cargo from the van was all over the road, and police closed the Sheppey Crossing.

Traffic was queued back to Iwade following the incident, and drivers were diverted onto the Kingsferry Bridge until about 1pm.

Sheppey and Sittingbourne ambulance crews and Sheerness and Sittingbourne firefighters were all on the scene, as well as a Kent Police serious investigation unit.

A spokesman from Kent Police said: “Kent Police was called to the scene just after 6.15am.

“At this point we do not believe the man’s injuries to be life threatening.”

The lorry involved in the crash belonged to Roger Lambert Transport.

Owner Roger Lambert said: “Our vehicle is being recovered and our driver has been taken to Medway Maritime Hospital with a shoulder injury.”