Cattle killed in M40 crash
DRIVERS faced rush-hour misery today after the M40 near Solihull was closed by a crash involving a trailer carrying cows. Four animals ran off and two were injured and later had to be put down.
Firefighters, police and paramedics were called to the scene of a double smash on the northbound carriageway between Junction 15, at Longbridge island, Warwick, and Junction 16 at Henley-in-Arden, near Solihull.
Fuel spilled on to the roadway after the trailer collided with a lorry, and another vehicle crashed into the central reservation at around 4.45am.
The M40 was closed northbound between Junction 15 and Junction 16.
Warwickshire Police said it was unlikely that the section of motorway would re-open before noon.
"The incident has caused major delays on the M40 northbound and surrounding roads as drivers attempt to find alternative routes," said a spokesman.
"There have also been delays on the M40 southbound because of people slowing down to look."
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said when crews arrived at the scene they found that a 4x4 vehicle pulling a trailer carrying six cows had collided with a lorry.
A car driven by 33-year-old man from Tooting, south London, had also struck the central crash barrier.
He was taken to Warwick Hospital with minor neck injuries, but the drivers of the 4x4 and the lorry escaped unharmed, the ambulance spokesman added.
“Four of the cows ran off from the crash heading south. Two were injured at the scene and subsequently had to be put down."
By 8.30am three of the missing animals had been rounded up, but the fourth was still missing.
The incident occurred just over an hour after another crash on the southbound carriageway between a service station and Junction 12, near Gaydon.
Paramedics described the driver of a van which had collided with a lorry as being "incredibly lucky" to have escape with only minor injuries.
The two vehicles collided at about at 3.10am, said paramedics.
