A mother says her family is lucky to be alive after a trucker’s careless driving caused their 4x4 to flip over in the outside lane of the M20.

Mary Homewood, from Stanhope, was driving to visit family in Nottingham with her two children Ethan, 15 and Amber, 12.

The family were in their Land Rover Discovery in the outside lane of the London-bound M20, between junctions nine and eight, at about 11am on Monday last week.

Mary said a coach that had been cut up by a lorry suddenly swerved into her lane, forcing her vehicle to hit the central reservation, skid on gravel and flip onto its side.

Mary said: "As soon as I hit the gravel my Land Rover flipped three times then landed down on the driver’s side and skidded down the motorway for about 150 yards.

"There were sparks flying everywhere and I think the worst part about it was that it was so eerily silent.

"There was no noise coming from my two children. There just was nothing. I could only think, 'oh my God, what’s happened to my children?'."

Luckily, no one was seriously injured in the accident, which Mrs Homewood said is a miracle.

Mary added: "The kids are a bit bruised and my son has a mark on his shoulder where he was hanging upside down by his seatbelt.

"They’re both still very scared. They’ve had nightmares and I think it’s going to take them a long time to get over it."

"The window next to me shattered and my arm fell out and got dragged along the motorway as we skidded on our side.

"Really, I came away very well considering. There’s no skin left on my elbow but I haven’t broken it.

"But there was a lot of blood. I was bleeding everywhere and my daughter was shouting to get me out too.

"An off-duty policeman managed to get the boot of the Land Rover open so Amber could scramble out, she then went straight back in and got Ethan out. They were both exceptionally brave and I am so proud of them."

A police spokesman said a Belgian lorry driver was issued with an on-the-spot fine of £500 for driving without due care and attention.