A motorist died after a lorry belonging to a Bradford company ploughed through a reservation barrier on the M6 earlier today causing ten-mile tail backs.

The driver of a Nissan Almera is believed to have died instantly when his vehicle was in collision with the lorry at junction 4 near Coley Services, Warwickshire.

And in Bradford there was rush-hour chaos after three cars were involved in a collision near the city centre.

The lorry belonging to Via Master in Gomersal was travelling northbound on the motorway and crashed through the central barrier on to the opposite carriageway and collided with at least one vehicle, said a police spokesman.

The lorry driver was taken to the George Elliott Hospital in Nuneaton along with other injured drivers.

The Bradford company declined to comment until they had spoken to police.

The motorway was closed in both directions near Coventry and was expected to stay shut until late afternoon.

AA Roadwatch spokesman Graham Pearson described the situation as a "nightmare scenario".

Rush-hour traffic from Shipley was diverted along Bolton Lane for more than an hour this morning after the smash on Canal Road.

Inspector Gerald Benson of Bradford Police said two men been taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary after suffering minor injuries in the collision which involved a Mazda, a Fiat and a Peugeot. Police officers interviewed witnesses at the scene to establish the cause of the collision.

And in Baildon, a woman was said to be shocked after losing control of her car and hitting a pillar outside Forbuoys newsagents in Northgate, shortly after 9am today.

An ambulance service spokesman said that the woman had not been taken to hospital.

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