Multi-vehicle accident on M4

Heavy delays on the motorway at junction 13, Chieveley, this morning (Thursday)

THE westbound exit slip road of the M4 is closed this morning (Thursday) due to a multi-vehicle accident.

The incident happened sometime before 9am near junction 13 (Chieveley).

Heavy delays should be expected.

Newbury Weekly News employee Nick Eyles was on his way to work at 8.30am when he came across the scene.

He said: "There were no ambulance or police vehicles there yet, so it had probably just happened. A lorry had collided with a car, which had compacted right down to the driver's seat. Had anyone been in the back seat they would definitely have been killed.

"Luckily, all the crushing damage appeared to have been to the rear of the car, which looked as if it had been cut in half. I also noticed where a couple of other vehicles had collided with one another nearby."

Thames valley Police spokesman Craig Evry said: “It happened at about 8.30am.

"There was a collision between a truck and four cars on the slip road at Junction 13 coming of the motorway on to the A34. It was a white Daf truck, a silver Hyundai 130, a grey Seat Leon, a blue Citroen Berlingo people carrier and a red Ford Fiesta."

He added: "Initially the slip road was closed and it looked like a man in his 40s was seriously injured.

"The air ambulance has been deployed. The motorway was closed just before Junction 13 at just after 9am, just to allow the air ambulance to land on the slip road.

"The fire brigade are cutting the man out of the car at this time, but I don't know the extent of his injuries."

South Central Ambulance spokeswoman Ngosi Fakeye said four people had been injured but said initial reports had described them as "walking wounded."

According to the Highways Agency, the road is expected to re-open by noon today.