Driver cut free after crash with highways vehicle

Firefighters used hydraulic cutting equipment to remove the driver of a car that crashed into a highways vehicle on the M11

A driver had to be cut free from a car after it collided with a stationary highways vehicle on a motorway.

Essex County Fire & Rescue Service, police, paramedics and highways officers were called to the M11 southbound carriageway between junction eight at Stansted Airport and junction nine for Great Chesterford at about 22:00 GMT on Saturday.

Crews said the car collided with a highways roadwork protection vehicle within a closed work zone and the driver had become trapped.

Firefighters used hydraulic cutting equipment to free them before they were taken to hospital with serious injuries. The road was back open at 01:15.

Photos taken by Newport Fire Station as well as Saffron Walden Fire Station shared on social media show the car involved with its roof, doors and windows removed.

The highways vehicle can also be seen as firefighters work around the scene.

Fire crews said the driver was taken to hospital

On social media, Newport Fire Station said: "A car collided with a Highways roadwork protection vehicle which was stationary.

"We quickly got to work stabilising the vehicles while administering first aid to the trapped driver.

"We were soon joined by Saffron Walden, we then used hydraulic cutting equipment to extricate the trapped driver from the car."

Essex Police said the driver had serious injuries and it was investigating the cause of the crash and its inquiries were ongoing.

The BBC has asked the East of England Ambulance Service for more details about the driver's condition.