A RUNAWAY girl who was knocked over by a vehicle on the M4 could have died if two good Samaritans had not stopped to help her.

The 14-year-old from Wroughton lay crying for help with her head on the hard shoulder and her legs partly on the inside lane of the motorway.

A Purton couple saw her and came to her aid. Ian Smith waved traffic away from the girl while his wife Catherine comforted her until emergency services arrived.

She was taken to Great Western Hospital, where her injuries are said to be not life-threatening.

Earlier in the day she had been reported missing.

Mrs Smith, 38, a warehouse supervisor, said: "We were driving along when the car in front swerved and put its hazard lights on.

"We swerved too, and then my husband saw some legs in the dark.

"We pulled over onto the hard shoulder and ran out. We didn't know what we would find.

"The girl was calling for help. I carried on talking to her, reassuring her until the police came, and my husband tried to keep the traffic away from her by waving his England rugby top.

"She was a mess. We didn't want to move her because we didn't know what damage had been done. We didn't let her nod off.

"Then some lorry drivers pulled up and phoned for an ambulance."

A large wing mirror was found near the girl, and police believe she was probably hit by a small lorry or transit van.

Mrs Smith said: "The driver must have known. It's awful he didn't stop or do anything.

"Maybe he didn't spot her because it was dark and she was wearing black. If we hadn't stopped she may have got run over.

"My husband put his own life at risk for some stranger, and didn't think anything of it. It was just natural instinct."

Mr Smith, 42, a Honda worker, said the girl was conscious throughout.

He said: "She knew where she was and she knew she'd been walking.

"She said she didn't know where she was going.

"I was worried somebody would run over her.

"I didn't really think about the danger until afterwards. You don't think about yourself."

The accident happened at about 12.20am yesterday. Swindon police would like to hear from any witnesses to the crash or anybody who saw the girl before it happened.

Anyone with any information should call 01793 528111.

Dave Andrew