A major motorway in England was brought to a standstill this morning after a serious multi-vehicle collision involving a coach, police said.
The crash - which involved four lorries, four cars and the coach - occurred on the M11, Essex police said.
A spokesman said the collision happened between junction eight for Bishops Stortford in Hertfordshire and junction nine at Great Chesterford, near to Saffron Walden in Essex.
He said the northbound carriageway was closed and was expected to remain shut for several hours. The southbound carriageway was only open on the hard shoulder.
A spokesman for Essex Fire And Rescue Service said two people were trapped in the coach and one person was trapped in a car. Crews used specialist cutting equipment to release the casualties, he said.
The ambulance service said five people were injured in the incident, four of whom were taken to hospital.
PA