Carnage

Holiday traffic blocked the A1(M) after a caravan overturned and was hit by following vehicles.

Drivers speeding through thick fog have been blamed.

Harrogate District Hospital launched a major incident operation as casualties began arriving following a 999 call shortly after 6am.

"As we arrived, shunts were still occurring behind the major accident," said a fire service spokesman.

Firefighters had cut seven casualties from the wreckage of the vehicles by 8am. They continued searching the vehicles.

Ten ambulance crews took 25 casualties to the Harrogate hospital, with injuries including fractures, bruises and abdominal pains.

Others were taken to Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton.

An ambulance service spokesman said: "I've heard from the police too many drivers were going too fast in the fog.

"Thankfully, it doesn't appear that anybody has been killed."

Ambulanceman Group Station Officer Simon Marshall, from York, said: "At the moment I'm not aware any fatalities. If that remains the case, people have been extremely lucky."

Lorry driver Jason Hall, from Sunderland, said he had slowed to about 40mph, but had seen cars travelling at up to 80 mph.

He said: "Some had only got their side lights on."

Brian Morris, from Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, said: "It is pure lunacy. They have total disregard for other road users."

Mike Turner and Leanne Grieve, from Harrogate, said they had gone to the aid of two people in a van which was on its side on top of central reservation barriers.

"One of them appeared to have a collarbone or an arm broken, and the other one was a bit groggy," said Mike.

They also helped a family of five.

"The driver's face was quite badly smashed," Leanne said.

"The mother and two children were in the back, but didn't seem badly injured. One of the children was still asleep."

AA spokeswoman Denise Raven had passed the accident early this morning.

She said: "The fog was so thick you really couldn't see very much, just blue flashing lights coming out of it."

Another eye witness said: "The caravan is lying on its side across the outer and middle lane, with the car which had been pulling it on its back and standing in the air.

"Just in front there's a red car with its roof torn off, and behind it there are a number of vehicles that have collided.

"There are cars and lorries behind that, but you can't see far because of the fog."

He said non-injured motorists could be seen standing by the vehicles.

The A1(M) was closed between the A59 to the junction with the A6055, near Minskip.

Diversions took vehicles onto the A168, which runs parallel to the motorway.

Updated: 11:26 Friday, March 29, 2002