POLICE were called at 2.25pm today, Friday, July 12, to the M5 at Junction 29 near Exeter, following a report of a serious collision.

It was reported that a car travelling on the southbound carriageway had lost a tyre.

It was further reported that the tyre collided with a vehicle travelling on the northbound carriageway.

The driver of the car travelling south was checked by Ambulance Service personnel at the scene but did not require hospital treatment.

The two occupants of the car travelling north have been taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The M5 was closed in both directions around Junction 29. One lane of the southbound carriageway has since been reopened.

Chief Inspector Simon Jenkinson said: “Following a serious collision on the M5 this afternoon, the motorway has been closed in both directions around Junction 29.

“The initial priority for emergency services is to deal with the incident itself and tend to the casualties to ensure that they receive timely and appropriate care.

“Enquiries will also be carried out at the scene to establish the full circumstances of the incident, and this has to be completed before we can reopen the road.

“I appreciate that the road closures cause a significant level of traffic disruption in the area but we appreciate your patience while we deal with the incident.”

Queues of traffic at 8pm were about two-and-a-half hours of waiting to get through southbound on the M5 due to just one lane operating.

The M5 queues are about eight miles long.

There have been long queues throughout the area, in Exeter and many vehicles finding alternative routes, some through Bickleigh towards Crediton but a road closure on the Tiverton to Crediton road near Crediton is causing further issues for motorists.

There are long queues on some of the roads.

Updates on the road closures and diversions can be found here - (10) National Highways: South-West (@HighwaysSWEST) / X (twitter.com)