An ambulance en route to hospital with a patient collided with a car on a major Moray road yesterday.
The crash happened on the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road near Lhanbryde, causing extensive tailbacks in both directions.
It is understood the ambulance was being used to transfer a patient to an appoint at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin when it collided with a BMW.
Two people were injured, but they are not thought to be in a life-threatening condition.
The accident happened at about 11am, at the junction leading to Fogwatt.
The silver BMW 535 estate went off the road, and the driver’s side was bashed inwards, but police said the man behind the wheel had not been hurt.
The bonnet of the non-emergency white Renault ambulance was damaged by the force of the crash, and its front bumper was dislodged.
Three ambulances were called to the deal with the incident, and a mile-long stretch of the trunk road was sealed off at the roundabouts at either end of Lhanbryde.
The eastbound lane reopened shortly after 1pm, but police continued to examine the westbound carriageway for about another hour.
A police spokeswoman said: “The road was closed between both entrances to Lhanbryde at 11am, and officers were called to attend the scene.
“It doesn’t appear that the male driver of the BMW was among those injured.”
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Ambulance Service added: “We sent three crews to the incident, two double crews and one single crew.
“We arrived at the scene shortly after 11am, and transported two patients to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.
“Their injuries are not life-threatening.
“There was one person on board the ambulance in the crash, who was being taken to the hospital.”
The spokeswoman would not be drawn on whether the patient being taken to Dr Gray’s was among those hurt.
Fochabers Lhanbryde councillor, Douglas Ross, said the crash served as a timely reminder for people to take caution when driving during the winter months.
He added: “Thankfully those involved have not sustained life-threatening injuries and hopefully everyone makes a speedy recovery.
“It’s a worry that there was an accident at this location, as some cars speed up to overtake on the bypass and it’s also a crossing point for pedestrians.
“This accident is a reminder of the hazards on our roads, particularly with some of the wintry weather we are getting.”