TWO elderly women were seriously injured in a crash on the M4 on Tuesday night.

They had to be cut free from a green Vauxhall Corsa in which they were travelling westbound.

The accident happened between junction 16 at Swindon and junction 17 for Chippenham at 6pm. A lorry was behind it which, in turn, had an articulated lorry behind it.

Police said for an unknown reason the Corsa stopped suddenly in the slow lane.

The lorry behind swerved to avoid it but the driver of the articulated lorry was unable to avoid a collision. The Corsa was pushed on to the hard shoulder and the articulated lorry also came to a halt there.

The articulated lorry driver was not injured but the two women, who are in their 70s and from London, were taken to the Great Western Hospital where they are in a serious but stable condition.

Two lorries collided on the eastbound carriageway of the M4 between junctions 15 and 14 at about 4am this morning. Two lanes were shut while the lorries were moved to the hard shoulder. No-one was injured. Traffic tailbacks began to clear at aroun d 8 am.