POLICE today urged motorists to drive with caution on the M4 following yet another day of accidents and delays.

Two more crashes near Swindon's junctions 16 and 17 have brought the total to six motorway accidents in little more than a week around the town.

PC Phil Stayning, at Swindon Traffic, said he could not explain the sudden spate.

But he urged drivers to follow the simple but vital rules of motorway driving: don't speed, don't drink and drive, keep plenty of space between the vehicle in front of you and take regular breaks.

He said: "The most common causes of accidents and serious injuries are excess speed and not wearing seatbelts.

"If people break down on the motorway they should never turn their back to the traffic and always keep their eye on it.

"People need to take frequent rest breaks, about every 100 miles, and keep a good distance from the vehicle in front.

"Alcohol is also a major factor.

"If you have had alcohol the night before you are much more likely to be involved in an accident."

Yesterday the road was partly blocked for two hours following an accident involving a Citroen Xantia towing a caravan.

PC Stayning said the car apparently tried to overtake a lorry and jack-knifed into the central reservation between junctions 16 and 17.

The outside lanes on the westbound and eastbound carriageways were affected between 8am and 10am.

A 67-year-old man from Wokingham was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital with a minor head injury. His female passenger was unhurt.

Also yesterday, at 7.20am, a black Ford Focus lost control travelling westbound and collided with the central reservation four miles west of junction 16. The driver was unhurt.

Last Thursday a lorry overturned just past junction 15 westbound, killing driver Raymond Whiddet, 61, of Hertfordshire.

And in separate accidents the same day another lorry overturned after colliding with the hard shoulder between junctions 16 and 17 wastbound near Chippenham and a Nissan car crashed on to the hard shoulder near junction 16 eastbound.

At 6am on Tuesday this week a Peugeot car towing a caravan jack-knifed onto the central reservation after being involved in a collision with a chemical tanker near junction 16.