POLICE have appealed for witnesses following a series of collisions that led to the closure of the M11 in West Essex on Saturday.The incidents happened shortly before 5am on the northbound carriageway near Little Hallingbury.In the first crash a red BMW

POLICE have appealed for witnesses following a series of collisions that led to the closure of the M11 in West Essex on Saturday.

The incidents happened shortly before 5am on the northbound carriageway near Little Hallingbury.

In the first crash a red BMW car is thought to have spun out of control and struck the central barrier. The two occupants made their way to safety behind the hard shoulder barrier.

The driver of a white lorry stopped on the hard shoulder to investigate and check the welfare of the two occupants but while talking with them his vehicle was struck by a blue Ford Fiesta.

As the driver walked along the hard shoulder to help the passengers in the Fiesta he was struck by a blue Peugeot 206.

The lorry driver, who is from Bedfordshire, was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow with serious multiple injuries.

Police and Highways Agency officers closed the northbound carriageway between Junction 7 at Harlow and Junction 8 at Stansted. Vehicles caught in the tailback were turned around and escorted back to Junction 7.

The two outside lanes of the motorway reopened at about 9.30am but the inside lane and hard shoulder will remain closed until around midday while police officers continue to carry out their initial investigation.

A 27-year-old man from Kilburn, north west London, was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and is currently being interviewed at Harlow police station.

Anyone who saw any of the collisions should contact Pc Alan Lamb at Chigwell Road Policing Unit on 0300 333 4444.