A motorist suffered serious injuries when her car broke in two in an horrific motorway smash.

The woman, in her 30s, had to be cut free from part of the car. The engine and bonnet were yards away.

The woman's Rover was in a collision with a Ford Mondeo just after junction two of the M2 near Cuxton shortly before 7pm on Wednesday.

The coast-bound carriageway was shut while firefighters cut off the roof of the Rover and rescued the woman who was then taken to Medway Maritime Hospital.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue said: “The woman was lucky to be alive. The car had completely broken in half.

“The engine, bonnet and wheels were about 10 yards away from the rest of the car where the casualty was still trapped inside with suspected neck and spinal injuries.”

The driver of the other car was believed to have minor injuries and was safely out of the vehicle when emergency services arrived.

Three fire crews, from Medway, Strood and Thameside were on the scene for around an hour.

Two fire crews from Faversham and Sittingbourne attended a collision with two lorries, two cars and a van near the Faversham exit on the M2 at 4.20pm on Thursday.