Three children and four adults were taken to hospital after a six-vehicle crash caused chaos on the M25.

The collision at around 5.17pm yesterday (December 22) was near Maple Cross on the anticlockwise stretch just after junction 17.

It caused gridlock traffic and tailbacks to junction 19, near Watford, with Herts Police and the East of England Ambulance Service among emergency services at the scene.

This morning, an ambulance service spokesperson told the Watford Observer: “We were called at 5.17pm on Thursday 22nd December to a road traffic collision just after junction 17 on the anticlockwise M25 involving six vehicles.

“Five ambulances, a tactical and operational commander, and an ambulance officer were sent to the scene. The team assessed 14 patients and seven – four adults and three children – were transported to Watford General Hospital for treatment for minor injuries.” 

One lane remained closed for over two hours before traffic eventually returned to normal at around 8pm.