The lorry is thought to have overturned when the two vehicles collided on the A872 Glasgow Road in Stirling, close to the Pirnhill Inn, yesterday.

The accident resulted in the road being closed as emergency crews worked to free those trapped causing traffic chaos.

Three people were in the lorry and seven in the people carrier at the time of the accident. Only one person, who was travelling in the people carrier, escaped injury.

Seven ambulances, the Scottish Ambulance Services' special operations response team, and trauma team, were all in attendance.

Fire crews from across the region along with a heavy rescue unit rushed to the scene after reports people were trapped inside both vehicles.

Motorists who witnessed the aftermath of the accident said some of the casualties had been thrown from their vehicles but had managed to get up and walk to the side of the busy road.

One eyewitness said: "The lorry was on its side. It looked like a little seven tonner – a two-axle rigid thing."

Central Scotland Fire and Rescue confirmed six appliances from Stirling, Dunblane, Larbert, Alloa had attended.

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: "We received the emergency call at 3.23pm and seven ambulances attended, as well as our special operations response team and our trauma team.

On arrival it was discovered there were a total of nine casualties, with some conveyed to Forth Valley Hospital in Larbert."

The incident was near to the point at which A872 joins the M9 near Stirling Services

The road was closed in both directions at the Borestone Roadabout in Stirling, with traffic diverted through Bannockburn.

Meanwhile, a man was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee after a two-vehicle collision yesterday which led to a section of the city's Kingsway main arterial route being closed.