Woman dies following two car crash on A358 in Bishops Lydeard

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• Woman killed in Bishops Lydeard crash named

Emergency services rushed to the incident shortly before 7am after the two cars collided.

Police have confirmed that a 70-year-old woman who sustained injuries at the scene, died.

The road was closed in both directions as the emergency services worked, but has now reopened. 

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: "We were called by the ambulance service at 6.55am to a two vehicle.

"One person has been left with life-threatening injuries following the crash and is being treated at the scene.

"We have closed the road in both directions from the Minehead Road junction to the slip road into Bishops Lydeard.

"It is likely to be closed for about an hour and the Highways Agency has been called to help deal with the traffic."

One eye-witness from the scene was traffic was building up heavily in the area, with lengthy queues building up from the Cotford St Lukes roundabout.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

Collision investigators are at the scene. 

Berrys Coaches have said that some of the school runs cannot and will not be covered due to the crash.

The incident comes just days after it was announced that work on a new roundabout at the junction would start in September.

Chairman of Bishops Lydeard Parish Council Henry Davenport said: "I am upset and angry about this. It is another fatality that needn't have happened had the roundabout been built sooner.

"The roundabout has been delayed until September due to the increased amount of traffic in tourist season, but surely the increased traffic just increases the chances of another accident."

Somerset County Councillor Mike Rigby said: "There is a housing development in the village that was granted planning permission on the condition that a roundabout would be completed and in place by November 2012.

"Three and a half years later and work has yet to begin, leaving local councillors and residents at the continuous delays."

Local resident Richard Socket of Station Green said: "They have been talking about putting a roundabout in for a long time, it is a shame someone had to lose their life before something was done."

They are advising parents to give them a call on 01823 33156 for more information.

Anyone heading for Minehead is being advised to take the M5 and come off at J24 - not J25.

More to follow.