DRIVERS on a Hampshire motorway had a lucky escape when a car transporter overturned and crashed down on to the central reservation before sending five vehicles it had been carrying into the road.

Traffic on the M3 between Chandler's Ford and Winchester came to a standstill as emergency services battled to clear the road.

Three cars spilled on to the southbound carriageway and two on to the northbound section. They were a Mitsubishi, two Nissans and two Toyota sports cars.

The incident caused queues of up to six miles in length, reaching Winchester services in the north and the M27 in the south.

Nearby minor roads experienced heavy congestion as drivers sought alternative routes after the accident at 11.30am yesterday.

Leading firefighter Richard Hewitt of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said only "luck" saved drivers from serious harm.

"We expected it to be more serious. When we drove up there and saw the transporter on its side we expected other vehicles to be involved," he said.

"At that time of day you expect the road to be quite busy. It was pure luck that no one died.

"Our job was to make the scene safe. No one was actually hit by the cars - it just made a mess of the central reservation."

Junction 11 northbound and the northbound carriageway between junctions 11 and 12 were shut while the transporter was removed.

Lane three northbound and lane three southbound remained shut throughout the evening while repairs were carried out to the central reservation.

No one was seriously injured in the accident.

The driver of the transporter was treated for an arm injury by an ambulance crew from Winchester.

RAC spokesman Tess Richardson said: "The incident on the M3 caused substantial delays in the Winchester area, with queues of up to six miles in both directions earlier this afternoon and problems continuing into the Friday evening rush hour.

"Motorists should be aware that further delays could occur due to emergency road works following the incident. If you are planning on using this stretch of road it may be advisable to check your route before setting off and leave extra time for your journey."