Carl Pistorius, the brother of South African athlete and murder accused Oscar Pistorius, has been "badly hurt" in a car accident, his family said,

Local media report that he is in intensive care after a head-on collision near Pretoria.

The incident comes six days before Oscar Pistorius' murder trial is set to resume.

Oscar Pistorius denies murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, saying he shot her believing she was an intruder.

On Friday it was announced that the athlete had sold the Pretoria house where the shooting took place to help cover his legal fees.

The house sold for 4.5-million rand ($418,000; £249,000), slightly below the estimated value of 5-million rand.

'Father figure'

Carl Pistorius, 29, "was badly hurt but we are thankful that he is out of danger" his family said in a statement.

His car had been hit by another vehicle which had swerved from the opposite side of the road, the statement added.

South African media reported that he sustained multiple fractures and suffered internal bleeding.

Carl Pistorius has been a near-constant presence at his younger brother's murder trial.

The athlete has described how Carl became a "father figure" for himself and his sister after their parents' marriage broke down and their mother died.

In May last year Carl Pistorius was acquitted of culpable homicide over the death of a motorcyclist in South Africa in 2008.

The Oscar Pistorius trial is set to resume on 7 August, with both teams expected to present their closing arguments.

The prosecution says the athlete deliberately shot her dead after an argument at his home on 14 February 2013.

If found guilty of murder, the 27-year-old, who went on trial on 3 March, could face life imprisonment.

If he is acquitted of that charge, the court will consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could - if convicted - receive about 15 years in prison.