Woman in horror M4 crash was 'so scared' when car was hit

Annie Lai and her friend were in her car travelling westbound on the M4 towards Wales just after 4am this morning, when, she says, they were hit three times by another car.

The car slid onto the hard shoulder and was hit again, causing it to spin out of control and end up upside-down in a ditch.

The car was sent spinning into a ditch (Image: Annie Lai)

Thankfully, the driver of a lorry that was behind the vehicle which Ms Lai says hit them also pulled over and helped them get out of the car.

Recalling the moment they were hit, Ms Lai said: “I was feeling so scared at the time, when the vehicle went into the back of us, because I didn’t have total control of my car.

“I remember thinking this was three accidents in one, as it was all the same person, in a vehicle with no lights on.

The police were called at 4.15am and attended immediately (Image: Annie Lai)

“When we went off the road into the ditch, me and my friend looked at each other. It took a while for us to realise exactly what had happened.

“The lorry driver was really helpful – he helped us get out of the car, checked we were okay and gave us his contact details.”

Ms Lai also praised the speedy response of the emergency services, including Gwent Police, who attended the scene immediately following her call just after 4am.

She said: “The police attended straight  away and made sure we were both safely out of the car. They knew exactly what they were looking for and were able to get us out quick.”

Ms Lai and her friend were taken to hospital for further treatment following the accident, where they were diagnosed with whiplash, and were both allowed to return home to Newport by lunchtime, with instructions to return to the hospital if the pain from the whiplash gets any worse.

Ms Lai thanked the lorry driver for helping them out of the car after it had flipped into the ditch (Image: Annie Lai)

The crash closed the M4 westbound carriageway from around 4.30am, after Ms Lai called the police at 4.15am, with the road remaining closed for the rest of the morning.

It left severe delays for traffic on and around the M4 throughout morning rush hour, with many people reporting on social media that crossing the bridge was taking over an hour.

The opposite carriageway of the M4 was closed shortly after following another crash in which “serious injuries” were suffered, according to Gwent Police.

Both carriageways were safely reopened just before 2pm on the afternoon of Monday, December 4.