Road accident victims could be offered an unusual therapy when they arrive at hospital: the computer game Tetris.

As part of their treatment at the Emergency Department of John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, they will be asked to play the tile-matching puzzle within six hours of the accident, The Daily Mail reports.

Researchers believe that the visual-spatial demands of the game will disrupt and prevent the forming of the mental imagery related to the accident in the long-term memory.

This can lead to flashbacks associated with post traumatic stress disorder.

The trial follows research at Oxford University where some volunteers watched a disturbing film and were then asked to play Tetris or take part in some other activity.

The Tetris group had fewer flashbacks of the film than the others.