Tailbacks for 10 miles after M6 lorry smash

Motorists were stuck in up to 10 miles of tailbacks on the M6 after a lorry smashed through the central reservation in Staffordshire and burst into flames.

Police closed the motorway in both directions between Gailey and Stafford for several hours. The shutdown, coinciding with the evening rush hour, caused chaos on surrounding roads.

Two other lorries and five cars were then caught up in minor collisions caused by the crash, leaving motorists stuck in queues for up to two hours.

Ambulance bosses today said it was a "minor miracle" no-one was seriously hurt in the smash. The crash happened on the southbound carriageway about half a mile before the Gailey turn-off at Junction 12 just after 5.30pm yesterday.

The 44-ton trailer, with a cargo of sandwiches and fizzy drinks, became detached and overturned while the cab crossed the dividing barriers and came to rest on the northbound carriageway.

Queues on the southbound section stretched back more than nine miles to Stone and as far back as Cannock, four miles away, on the other side.