Baby has miracle escape in motorway crash

Dec 31 2007 By Alison Dayani

A BABY, aged three months, escaped unscathed after being caught up in a major pile-up on a Midland motorway.

Five cars ploughed into each other on the northbound carriageway of the M6 toll road, near Lichfield, Staffordshire.

Nearly a dozen people, drivers and passengers, were left as walking wounded after the smash.

The road was closed for nearly an hour from 2.10pm yesterday as paramedics and 15 fire-fighters battled to treat the injured.

Station officer Paddy Lynch, from Erdington Fire Station, said ten people were involved in the crash, including a three-month-old baby.

One woman was also treated for head injuries but did not need to be hospitalised.

"Nearly everyone came away from the accident with cuts and bruises, which was extremely lucky considering how serious it was," said Mr Lynch.

"One car went into the back of the other and the others followed. The cars hit the central reservation and two of the vehicles were completely written off.

"We were especially concerned about the baby, but she was checked over and did not seemed to have suffered any injuries in the crash.

"The accident did cause delays for a while though."

The crash caused tailbacks for up to a mile as Highways Agency officers and police carried out inquiries before reopening the section of motorway shortly after 3pm.