TWO people have been taken to hospital following two crashes on either side of a motorway.

One car was sent sliding along on its roof for around 100 metres following the crashes that happened between junctions 1 and 2 of the M42 between 8.15am and 8.20am this morning.

A rapid response vehicle came across the first crash on the northbound carriageway of the motorway — which runs north east from Bromsgrove and passes Redditch — just moments after it had happened.

As the paramedic was treating the two patients from the first incident, the second happened on the southbound carriageway about 500 metres away.

He was backed up by a further rapid response vehicle, two ambulances and a paramedic area support officer.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “On arrival, the paramedic found a two vehicle nose to tail crash that had happened in lane 3. Both cars had suffered fairly significant damage.

“A woman in her 50s in the rear vehicle was immobilised using a neck collar and spinal board as a precaution before being taken to the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.

“The man from the car in front, who was in his 30s, was uninjured.

“While the paramedic was treating the woman from the first incident, he heard a ‘massive crash’ and looked up to see a car on its roof on the opposite carriageway about 500 metres away.

“After ensuring the first patient was safe, he picked up his medical bag and ran down the carriageway to the other crash.

“He said the car on it’s roof had ended up about 100 metres away from the impact point and was against the central reservation.

“Thankfully, the driver, a woman in her 40s was not seriously injured. She was complaining of head and neck pain. She too was immobilised before being taken to the same hospital.

“The driver of the other car involved that had significant rear end damage was uninjured.

“The paramedic said, undoubtedly the level of injuries would have been more significant had all of the drivers not been wearing seatbelts and been protected by the airbags in their vehicles.

“We’d like to thank the two police officers who also came across the scene who stopped to assist along with an off duty firefighter.”