A MAN in his 40s was taken to hospital following a three-vehicle crash on the M5 southbound, near Worcester.

The crash took place at the Junction 6 exit slip road shortly before 3pm yesterday (Tuesday), and shut two lanes of the motorway for two-and-a-half hours.

A lorry, car and box van were involved in the crash, with the car also hitting the central reservation.

A passenger in the car had to be cut from the vehicle by firefighters, before being taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said the patient was complaining of lower back pain but had "no apparent serious injuries".

Paramedics also treated the lorry driver, however they were uninjured and were discharged at the scene.

The incident caused long delays on the southbound carriageway, with delays of around two hours stretching back to Junction 4A for the M42.

The Central Motorway Policing Group (CMPG) and Highways England were also called to the scene, along with two fire crews from Worcester and one from Droitwich.

All lanes of the motorway were re-opened shortly after 5.30pm, roughly the same time a lane of the northbound carriageway was shut due to a broken down lorry at Junction 4A.

The rush hour lane closure caused long tailbacks stretching to Junction 6 for Worcester, with drivers facing delays on the commute home.

Within minutes, another accident was reported on the M5 southbound between Junctions 5 and Junction 6, which closed one lane.

The emergency services were called to the scene, and Highways England reported delays of around half an hour on the affected stretch of road.