TWO people have been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after a crash on the A590 this afternoon.

A motorbike and car collided at Levens between Brettargh Holt and the Meathop roundabout just before 2pm.

The North West Air Ambulance has airlifted a woman from the car in her 70s to the Royal Preston Hospital, after sustaining serious neck and back injuries.

Doctors anesthetised the man, believed to the motorcyclist, and gave him a blood transfusion at the scene before The Great North Air Ambulance airlifted him to Royal Preston Hospital with critical life-threatening injuries.

The man, who hails from Bristol, is thought to be in his 40's.

A third person, an elderly female from the car, sustained minor injuries.

Motorists have been asked to avoid the area and find alternative routes as roads around the A590 have become gridlocked.

Traffic conditions on the road are now back to normal after the road was cleared by Kendal and Lakes police at approximately 7:20pm.

Various bus services have been disrupted as a result of the collision.

UPDATE: The westbound direction reopened at around 3.55pm.

UPDATE: The eastbound direction reopened at 4.15pm, with a small diversion at Gilpin Bridge.

UPDATE: The road was cleared by Kendal police at 7:20pm and traffic is now moving freely on the A590.

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