THE FINAL lane on the M5 northbound has reopened following a police investigation into a multi-vehicle collision between Almondsbury and Thornbury on Saturday that left four dead and a woman and two children in a life-threatening condition.

The incident, which occurred around 2.30pm on Saturday, saw a lorry cross through the central reservation from the southbound carriageway between junctions 15 and 14, hitting at least two cars before going off the edge on the other side.

Police lifted the closure on lanes two and three last night, with lane one remaining closed throughout today while police continue the investigation into the incident, which left four people dead.

The final lane was reopened shortly before 5.30pm.

Three people, a woman and two children, have been seriously injured and taken to hospitals in Bristol - they are in a life-threatening condition.

The lorry driver has also been taken to hospital as a precaution.

Both the northbound and southbound carriageways were closed between junctions 16 and 14 overnight, with the soundbound carriageway being opened on Sunday.

Superintendent Simon Ellis said: “This was a horrific incident which has tragically claimed the lives of four people and seriously injured three others.

"Our thoughts are very much with their families and friends during what is an extremely difficult time.

“I’d like to thank the emergency services personnel who have been working extraordinarily long hours at a very complex scene to ensure a thorough investigation is carried out and the road is cleared as quickly as possible. 

"I’d also like to once again praise 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. Their bravery and composure must be commended.

“I fully appreciate how disruptive the closures have been during the past 24 hours and I’d like to apologies for the inconvenience caused and thank the public for their patience.

“We still have some work to do and lane one will remain closed while this is completed but I fully expect the carriageway to reopen completely sometime tomorrow.”

Highways England's duty operations manager Bev Mears said: “We anticipate the closure of lane one will cause some delays tomorrow during peak times so we would advise drivers to allow additional time for their journeys and use an alternative route where possible. We would also like to thank drivers for their patience and cooperation so far.

“Highways England would like to echo the sympathy of police colleagues to those affected by this tragic incident and thank the emergency services with whom we have worked closely alongside, along with the public, for their cooperation and patience.”

Traffic delays were extensive from Falfield all the way down to Almondsbury, with congestion on the A38 in particular as a result of the M5 closure.

Stroud News and Journal:

A fleet of emergency services were on the scene, including 13 ambulances, along with police investigation crews.

One eyewitness had said that there is "an awful eerie silence" in the area around the crash scene, as motorists remain trapped in traffic and the investigation continues.

Traffic trapped on the motorway as a result of the crash were finally cleared at about 8.30pm yesterday.