A DRIVER escaped without injury after his car aquaplaned and crashed into the central reservation on the M5 motorway.

Paul Johnson managed to escape serious injury after his Seat Ibiza hit a patch of water on the southbound carriageway near Worcester today (Tuesday).

Mr Johnson's car was aquaplaning as it hit the central reservation where barriers had only just been replaced following another car crash.

He said the area he hit was a black spot as the recovery driver told him he had recovered two cars from the very same spot on Sunday.

Hereford Times: BLACKSPOT: The car hit the safety barriers which had just been replaced after another crash on Sunday.BLACKSPOT: The car hit the safety barriers which had just been replaced after another crash on Sunday.

The crash between junction 7 (Worcester) and 8 (the M50 from Herefordshire) and subsequent emergency repair works caused six miles of tailbacks.

Drivers experienced delays of over 40 minutes with just one lane of the M5 reopened.

Mr Johnson, of Claines, near Worcester, said: "Had better mornings, and apologies to anyone going south on the M5 between junction 7 and 8.

"All fine but the cars not doing so well.

"Apparently the part of the central reservation I hit was only replaced last week after someone else hit it."

West Mercia Police and Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service both said they were not called to the incident.