A MAN died after a car in which he was a front-seat passenger spun out of control across the A303 near Mere on Easter Sunday, before leaving the road and smashing into a tree.

The crash occurred on the Mere bypass, just east of the slip-road to Mere, as the Mazda MX5 convertible overtook an articulated milk tanker at about 8.20pm.

The driver, who was travelling east, appeared to lose control of the car during the manoeuvre and it crossed the central reservation and the westbound carriageway, before leaving the road and ploughing into a private garden, where it hit the tree.

The driver of the car was rushed to Yeovil Hospital with what police later described as non-life threatening injuries. Her passenger was airlifted to Salisbury District Hospital, where he died from multiple injuries.

He was identified on Monday as Andrew Frazer Bristow, a 27-year-old computer programmer and systems analyst from Surrey.

An inquest into his death was due to be opened in Salisbury this week.

After the accident, the bypass was closed in both directions for five hours, causing disruption and delays to Easter holiday traffic.

Police have appealed for witnesses to the crash who have not yet come forward to contact them on 01722 435357.