A woman was taken to hospital with serious injuries following a two-car smash on one of the north-east’s busiest roads today.
The casualty had to be cut free from the wreckage of her vehicle after the crash which happened on the A96 Aberdeen-Inverness road, close to the Drummuir junction.
She was taken to Dr Gray’s Hospital with injuries that were described by the emergency services as “serious but not life-threatening or life-changing”.
It is understood she broke several bones in the collision.
No one else at the scene required medical treatment.
The accident, which involved a white Range Rover and a black Ford Fiesta, took place around 6.50am about four miles east of Keith, close to the border between Moray and Aberdeenshire.
The A96 was blocked off completely until just after 9am when one lane of the carriageway was reopened.
Both lanes reopened later this morning.
The closure led to long delays for rush hour traffic.
Slow movement of vehicles was reported as far afield as Elgin in one direction and Huntly in the other.
Diversions were put in place, with motorists heading north directed along the B9115 towards Drummuir, and those going south being redirected towards Dufftown.
A police spokesperson said: “The road was blocked for several hours following the accident.
“A female was trapped in one of the vehicles, although she was still conscious and breathing.
“Her injuries are not life threatening or life changing.”
A spokesperson from the fire service said: “We were called to the incident at 6.50am and used cutting gear to release a trapped person.
“Appliances from Huntly and Elgin were at the scene.”