A MAN has been taken to hospital following a three-lorry crash this morning which closed the motorway.

The accident happened on the westbound carriageway of the M27, at junction eight for Bursledon, around 8.30am and firefighters had to free a man from a lorry cab.

Daily Echo:

The cab in the lorry that is between the other two lorries had collapsed and the driver was trapped.

Police had to close the whole motorway to allow the air ambulance to land, but in the end it was stood down.

The driver was trapped from the waist down and the steering wheel was pressed against his stomach and was assessed by a doctor at the scene.

He was then taken to Southampton General Hospital by ambulance.

Daily Echo:

Crews from Fareham, Hightown and Cosham attended.

Police had closed the road at junction nine for Whiteley going westbound to stop people going on to the carriageway and have closed lanes one and two of the motorway at junction eight and put diversions in place.

Officers opened lanes two and three of the westbound carriageway to alleviate tailbacks by 11.30am, albeit with a 40mph speed limit.

Daily Echo:

Lane two was closed again for a time when the vehicles were being recovered.

The road was fully reopened by 12.40, although delays were still blighting the motorway as traffic tried to return to normal.