FOUR people have died and a woman and two children are fighting for their lives after a lorry smashed through the central reservation on the M5 in south Gloucestershire.

Horrified witnesses told how the lorry suddenly crossed the motorway after a tyre apparently blew out before smashing into at least two cars heading in the opposite direction.

The fatal accident happened between Junction 16 for Aztec West, and Junction 14 for Thornbury in South Gloucestershire.

A woman and two children were injured in the crash and taken to hospitals in Bristol, where they are in a life-threatening condition.

Avon and Somerset Police confirmed four people had died, with three others in a life-threatening condition in hospital.

The lorry driver was taken to hospital to be checked over as a precaution.

The motorway remained closed in both directions last night until the early hours of the morning.

Dozens of motorists found themselves trapped in six-mile long tailbacks and were stuck for three to four hours whilst emergency services rushed to the scene.

Heroic drivers who saw the horror crash pulled survivors from wrecked cars before the vehicles burst into flames.

Cardiologist Amer Hamed, who was in a car travelling "10 to 20 seconds behind" the crash, told the BBC: "There was a lorry involved and at least two other cars. One was absolutely destroyed and another had flipped over."

Along with other medically-trained motorists, he stopped to help an injured woman.

Dr Hamed added: "People are helping as much as they can. Several people offered us water and one man came out of his car to give food. We're going to be stuck here for a few hours yet."

Another witness claimed the lorry ploughed into traffic going in the opposite direction and "mashed" cars in its path.

Travelling just behind the lorry before the tragedy happened, friends Jasper Foxx, Daniel Stevenson and Stephen Dibley, were returning from Cheltenham, Glos to Stoke Gifford, Bristol.

They say they saw the lorry veer towards the central reservation and lose control, and believed a puncture had caused the crash.

Finance worker Jasper said: "We were only a short distance behind the lorry and from what we had seen, it had a puncture, lost control and it veered right through the central reservation and into the other side of the carriageway.

"We didn't see the impact but we pulled over and tried to give some first aid."

His housemate Daniel, 31, helped to pull people out of the wreckage after one of the cars caught fire.

He said: "We pulled up on the hard shoulder and got to the other side. One of the cars was upside down next to the lorry and there were two people in there, and we tried to help.

"I thought they might have died, but they regained consciousness. We saw the car was on fire.

"People had stopped to help out and had taken fire extinguishers from their caravans and were putting out the fire.

"There were at least 15-20 people there, all trying to help. We got people out of the car while people were on their phone to the ambulance service.

"There were children there as well, and had some head injured, but they got out alive.

"One person who was in the car was bleeding from his head and we had to get him out because the car had caught fire.

"We tried everything we could to save as many lives as we could."

Jasper added: "It was horrific, absolutely horrific. There were two other cars involved.

"One had the roof clean off, and completely destroyed.

"I saw a couple of fatalities and rang 999.

"One of the cars had ended up in the hard shoulder and there were two people outside the other car, opposite the motorway.

"Traffic had all stopped and we rang the ambulance service and told them what was going on.

"We were on the phone for about 45 minutes, telling them about the people who were injured and reading information back to them."

Superintendent Simon Ellis said: "Emergency service personnel have been working tirelessly at the scene in harrowing conditions and I'd like to praise them for the work they've done and are still doing.

"I'd also like to thank the members of the public who courageously went to the aid of those involved in this collision and in some cases rescued them from their vehicles.

"Our priority is to ensure the victims' next of kin are notified and supported, as well as the ongoing management of the scene, and this important work is ongoing."

Speaking about the traffic trapped between the junctions, he added: "We know this has been extremely disruptive to many people but we've had to prioritise the rescue and recovery operation and ensure we carry out a thorough investigation at the scene. This is painstaking work."

In a statement, Somerset and Avon Police said: "We were called at just after 2.30pm to the collision between J15 and J14 northbound involving several vehicles, including a lorry.

"Sadly, at least four people have died."

South Western Ambulance Service Trust told The Sun Online that 13 ambulances and two critical care team were working at the scene.

Last night, Highways England stated there was six miles of traffic congested northbound of the closure, and two miles stretching southbound.

A statement read: "Road users further afield intending to travel through this area should consider alternative routes and allow plenty of extra time for their journey.

"Early expectation is that the M5 will remain closed in both directions late into this evening."

The fatal accident on the M5 happened just weeks after eight people were killed on the M1 after a minibus was flattened by two lorries.

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