TWO people were taken to hospital suffering from minor injuries following a pile-up which closed the westbound carriageway of the M27 last night for five hours.

Rush-hour traffic across Hampshire was thrown into chaos when a lorry overturned on the M27 after it was in collision with a private car between Rownhams services and junction three of the westbound section of the motorway.

The motorway was closed between junction 13 on the southbound section of the M3 and junction four of the M27 westbound as firefighters fought to free one of the victims.

Huge tailbacks developed as thousands of cars heading west were diverted along the northbound section of the M3 before being sent by police back along the southbound section of the M3 to Southampton - causing gridlock in the city.

Traffic on the eastbound section of the M27 was also brought to a virtual standstill as drivers slowed to view the accident.

The drama happened at about 6pm last night. The lorry is understood to have been in collision with the car before overturning blocking all three lanes of the westbound section of the motorway.

Firefighters from Eastleigh, Redbridge and a special equipment unit from St Mary's in Southampton were called to the accident.

The road was closed for more than four hours while recovery crews cleared away the wrecked vehicles.

There were massive tailbacks along the M27 stretching to Eastleigh as the operation to release the trapped crash victim continued. Both people are believed to have suffered minor whiplash injuries.

A spokesman for motorway police said: "It has been utter chaos."