A newborn baby was rushed to the hospital after a car flipped onto its roof during a motorway crash on the M50, with police later arresting a woman on suspicion of drink driving. The collision happened at around 6.15 am on Monday between Junctions One and Two, causing major disruption for motorists as emergency services shut large sections of the motorway for several hours.
According to West Mercia Police, as per reports, a Peugeot 308 smashed into the nearside barrier before overturning. The driver, a 37-year-old woman, was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment, while an eight-day-old baby was transported to Birmingham Children's Hospital following the crash.
Police have not confirmed the extent of either person's injuries, and it remains unclear whether the woman and the baby are related. Detectives are now appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage as investigations continue into the early morning collision, which left part of the motorway closed throughout the day because of damage to the barrier.
Police Appeal For Witnesses After Motorway Crash
West Mercia Police said officers were called to the M50 shortly after 6 am on Monday following reports of a serious collision involving a Peugeot 308. The car is understood to have collided with the nearside barrier between Junction One for Twyning and Junction Two for Ledbury before overturning onto its roof.
Emergency crews attended the scene, and both the driver and the newborn baby were taken to separate hospitals for treatment. The woman was transported to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, while the baby was taken around 50 miles away to Birmingham Children's Hospital.
The force later confirmed that a 37-year-old woman had been arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol.
In a statement, a West Mercia Police spokesperson said: 'We are appealing for witnesses following a collision on the M50 this morning (25 May), in which an eight-day-old baby was taken to hospital.
'At around 6.15am, a Peugeot 308 collided with the nearside barrier between Junction 1 and 2 of the M50.
'The driver, a woman in her 30s, was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment. An eight-day-old baby was also taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital. 'A 37-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of driving whilst under the influence of alcohol.'
Officers are now urging anyone who saw the crash, or motorists who may have captured footage on dashcams, to come forward as enquiries continue. The spokesperson added: 'We would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the collision or who may have dashcam footage of the moments leading up to it.'
Major Delays As Motorway Closed For Hours
The crash caused heavy disruption across the M50 throughout Monday morning and into the afternoon as police carried out investigations and recovery work at the scene.
Following the collision, the entire eastbound carriageway between Junction One and Junction Two was closed while officers examined the overturned vehicle and the damaged barrier. The westbound side of the motorway was also temporarily stopped before later reopening.
National Highways confirmed that one lane remained shut for much of the day because of the damage caused during the crash. Motorists faced long delays while emergency crews worked at the scene, with traffic building up across the surrounding area during the closure.
Police have not released any further details regarding the condition of either the woman or the newborn baby. The Daily Mail reported that it had contacted West Midlands Ambulance Service for an update on their injuries.
