These photos, taken from a light aircraft on Saturday morning, show the full horrific scale of the tragic crash on the M5 motorway which has claimed the life of seven people.
Burnham-On-Sea gliding enthusiast Jeff Thomas took the ‘birds eye’ photographs from his microlight 3,500 feet above the scene.
Police said 34 vehicles – which included six articulated lorries – were involved in the collision, which closed the M5 in both directions between junctions 24 and 25.
A total of seven people died and 51 people were injured in the vehicles, many of which burst into flames. The remains of some of the vehicles is shown.
Of the injuries, 25 were taken to Yeovil District Hospital, 17 to Musgrove Park and nine to a temporary holding unit set up by the ambulance service.
The pictures were taken at an altitude of 3500 feet because a ‘temporary restricted zone’ was immediately placed around the incident reaching from the surface up to a height of 3,000 feet and with a radius of three miles.
The Highways Agency says the stretch of motorway is expected to re-open later on Sunday.
The accident occurred at 8.25pm on Friday night and emergency crews from across Somerset – including Burnham-On-Sea – were in attendance.
An emergency number for members of the public to call if they genuinely fear for the welfare of a friend or loved one is in operation by the police on 0800 092 0410.
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