A motorist driving along the M56 near Manchester Airport had a lucky escape after metal poles from a van travelling behind him impaled his vehicle.

The driver’s wife, Ceri Holmes, posted shocking images of the crash on Twitter and described her husband as “completely shook up as he honestly thought he has just scraped death”.

The motorway crash led to the poles being carried on the van behind being hurled forward, smashing through the window of the driver’s Land Rover.

The metal speared the car just inches away from where the driver was sitting.

Holmes told how her husband had to brake hard to avoid a vehicle in front and that the van behind hit him, leaving the poles lodged in the dashboard. 

She said her husband told her no-one was hurt, but described the scene as “carnage”.

Highways England reported a multi-vehicle collision and large fuel spillage between junction six for Manchester Airport, the Hale Four Seasons roundabout and junction seven, for the A556 Chester Road at Bowdon.

Holmes said her husband was absolutely fine and lucky and that she went to collect him after his ordeal.