A MAN is fighting for life after a crash with an ambulance yesterday afternoon.

The ambulance was on its way to a 999 call when the crash happened on Charlton Road, Wantage.

The 50-year-old pedestrian broke both his legs and had a serious head injury, South Central Ambulance Service said.

He was taken to John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, and police this morning confirmed he was in a life-threatening condition having suffered serious injuries.

SCAS spokesman David Gallagher said the crew of two in the ambulance were not injured. There was no patient inside.

Two other ambulances were sent to scene. The air ambulance was alerted but could not fly due to the weather.

Charlton Road was closed between Lark Hill and Garston Lane for several hours after the crash.

Dane Sheridan, a bricklayer from Wantage, saw the aftermath of the collision. He said: “I’ve seen the ambulance go past on the recovery truck. There’s a massive dent on it. It looks like it ran into a lamppost.”

Mr Sheridan and his colleague Richard Eldridge helped divert traffic after the collision.

“We had to because it was just chaos,” he said. “It was cars coming up the road, having to turn around in people’s driveways. It was mayhem.”

Thames Valley Police appealed for witnesses following the accident.

Sgt Sharon Scarffe, of the Joint Operations Unit for Roads Policing, said: "If anyone saw the collision itself, or saw the pedestrian or vehicle prior to the collision please contact police as this information may assist our enquiries."

Anyone with information should contact police on 101.

South Central Ambulance Service said it will hold an investigation into the incident.