A woman has died and a man is fighting for his life after two cars were involved in a head-on smash on the A77.

The crash took place at around 2.40pm on Saturday when a black Ford Fusion car travelling northbound collided with a white Ford Ranger going south.

It happened on the road at Garleffin Wood, around a mile south of Ballantrae, South Ayrshire.

A 50-year-old woman, passenger in the Ford Fusion, died at the scene.

The Ford Fusion driver, a 63-year-old man, was taken by Coastguard helicopter to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow where staff describe his condition as critical.

The 46-year-old male driver of the Ford Ranger and his three passengers were taken by ambulance to Ayr Hospital where they were treated for minor injuries and have since been released.

Sergeant Ian Thornton, from the divisional road policing unit in Ayrshire, said: "Although a number of people stopped to assist at the crash, we would still appeal for anyone who has not yet spoken to police, who either saw the crash or the vehicles being driven prior to the collision taking place, or indeed have dash-cam footage that may assist our enquiry to come forward.

"Please call officers at the divisional road policing unit at Irvine Police Station via 101. Quote reference number 2495 of July 7 when calling."

The road was closed for approximately nine hours and is now open.