Two people were taken to hospital after a head on collision involving a lorry and a car, which happened just after 2pm near the Crown Inn and the junction with Station Road.

Firefighters used cutting equipment to free a man and a woman from the Peugot car which was involved in the crash. Both were taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital with what were described as 'serious injuries'.

The driver of the lorry escaped injury, along with two women who were travelling in a separate car which had to swerve to avoid the collision.

Police sent a tweet just after 6.30pm that the A47 had fully re-opened.

Sgt Peter Howlett, of Norfolk police, said: 'We are treating this as a three car collision, although two have been damaged.

'We were very concerned that there was life threatening injuries however when we managed to get the male out of the car he was conscious.'

The lorry was driving towards King's Lynn and the couple's car, a grey Peugeot was driving in the Swaffham direction.

Resident, Jacqui Cantley, of nearby Hall Orchards, said she heard an 'almighty bang' from her nearby house.

She said: 'It was like a big explosion, I have walked here to have a look and there's nothing left of the car.'

Another on-looker spoke of how dangerous the road is. Gary Garnett, of Blackborough End, said: 'It was only a few weeks ago I had to pull a woman out of her car as it went down a ditch in the East Winch area - she took out three trees but luckily she was ok and the ambulance was very quick.'

The crash is around half a mile from the scene of a collision between a lorry and a car in which three people died on March 26.

Traffic was backed up to King's Lynn and the A149 Lynn bypass.

The road was busier than normal, with many holidaymakers travelling to Norfolk for the four-day easter break.