Police and post-collision examiners inspect the wrecked lorries involved in the double fatal accident on the A303 east of Mere on Saturday.EMERGENCY services were greeted with a scene of total devastation on Saturday morning, when they arrived at an accident east of Mere in which two men died.

The accident, the cause of which is not yet known, happened at 5.30am on the A303, east of Willoughby Hedge Service Station, in the westbound carriageway.

Police said a 44-tonne Iveco lorry travelling from the west country towards London collided head-on with a 38-tonne ERF lorry, 200m east of the entrance to Keysley Farm, between the services and the Furze Hedge junction.

The drivers, a 47-year-old man from Plymouth and a 62-year-old man from Bristol, died at the scene.

The road had to be closed for nearly 12 hours, while the vehicles were recovered.

Specialist recovery equipment had to be used to lift the vehicles from the road by crane and warnings were put out as far as London and Devon to persuade drivers to find alternative routes.

Diversions were set up via the A350 Furze Hedge junction, east of the incident, and Willoughby Hedge.

Inspector Paul Williams, head of Salisbury police's traffic department, said it was still unclear how the accident had occurred.

It was a clear day with no ice on the road.

"These two lorries collided head on at some speed and their cabs disintegrated on impact," he said.

"The collision took place in the westbound carriageway and it is unclear why it should have happened."

Insp Williams said two motorists did stop at the scene and police had received a phone call from another driver who came upon the scene.

"We know there were two further vehicles that arrived at the scene but their drivers did not stay to give details," he said.

"We would like to hear from them - they might have information that could help us.

"And anybody else who was on that stretch of road at that time might have seen something.

"We appeal to them to contact us."

On Monday, one of the drivers was identified as Anthony Best, of Hartcliffe, Bristol, a married father of grown-up children.

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

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call Salisbury police's traffic department, on 01722 435357.