A woman was trapped in her crumpled car for more than an hour and a half after a crash this morning.

The A272 between Bolney and Cowfold was closed with long delays spreading onto the nearby A23.

The woman, who suffered “serious injuries”, was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital after she was invovled in a crash with a van.

The van driver was also taken to hospital with less serious injuries.

The emergency services were called to A272 Cowfold Road at 7.41am.

While the crash is still being investigated it is believed to have involved the van and a silver Ford Focus – belonging to the woman who was trapped.

The road was closed along with Wineham Lane as emergency services tried to rescue the woman.

Fire crews used specialist equipment to cut her free before she was treated by paramedics.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "At 7.41am on Monday (8 September) a silver Ford Focus crashed on the A272 between Bolney and Cowfold, trapping the woman driver.

"She is thought to have serious abdominal injuries and fire, police and ambulance personnel, together with a doctor, are at the scene.

"Police have closed the A272 eastbound at Cowfold and at its junction with the A23 Bolney westbound while emergency services work to free the driver.

"Wineham Lane, running north/south, has also been closed at its junction with the A272."

A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance service said the woman had suffered “multiple fractures” and while conscious was in “a lot of pain”.

Her injuries are being described as serious but are not thought to be life threatening.

The van driver, he added, was taken to hospital with chest and shoulder pain.

PC Chris Welsh, of the Haywards Heath road policing unit, said: "We would like to hear from anyone who saw what happened or noticed either vehicle being driven just prior to the collision."

Anyone able to help is asked to email collision.appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk or phone Sussex Police on 101, quoting serial 211 of 8/9.