The police helicopter was scrambled and sniffer dogs used in a bid to find a motorist who left the scene of an accident.

The male driver of a Nissan 370Z ran off after his vehicle crashed with a Toyota Auris in London Road, Teynham, close to the Dover Castle Inn at around 8.30pm yesterday.

Residents came out of their homes in various states of undress to look at the aftermath and to see if they could help.

An elderly man was reportedly trapped in the passenger front seat of the Toyota due to the door being buckled from the impact.

Ambulance crews were called following initial reports the driver had suffered an arm and head injury.

An elderly couple were treated at the scene before one of them was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital, Gillingham, with a non-serious injury.

Witnesses claimed the sports car, which was travelling from Faversham towards Sittingbourne, overtook another vehicle close to the brow of the hill moments before the two vehicles collided.

Dover Castle landlord Phil Clements was in the kitchen when he heard a "thud".

He saw the two cars when he went outside to investigate.

Mr Clements said: "The sports car ended up at the entrance of the pub's car park, the other car was just up the road a bit past the water pump.

"By the time I got out there, the driver of the Nissan had gone but I was told he went half way up the road I think to look and see if the other people were alright, then ran away.

"He came through the pub garden, that's where the police tried to look for him. They had the helicopter and dogs out.

"We do have quite a few accidents along this stretch of road, in fact, there was one only about 10 days ago. It happened about 4pm and that vehicle ended up by the car park entrance too."

A 27-year-old Sittingbourne area man is in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of drink driving.