A man was rushed to hospital in a critical condition after a four-vehicle crash on the M25 this morning.

Police, fire and ambulance services were called to the motorway between South Mimms (junction 23) and London Colney (junction 22) at around 6.20am.

An East of England Ambulance Service (EEAS) spokesperson said: “We were called at 6.27am to a road traffic collision involving multiple vehicles on the anticlockwise M25 near junction 22.

“Four ambulances, two ambulance officers, the Hazardous Area Response Team and a response car from the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance were sent to the scene.

Watford Observer: The M25 was closed between South Mimms and London Colney.The M25 was closed between South Mimms and London Colney. (Image: National Highways)

“An adult male was transported by road to St Mary’s Hospital in London, with medics from the air ambulance also accompanying to provide advanced critical care, while another adult male was conveyed to Barnet General Hospital.” 

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Herts Police had previously tweeted “the air ambulance is en route”, but the EEAS spokesperson confirmed the service attended but not with the helicopter.

A Herts Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said the crash involved two cars, a van and a crane.

"Two people were trapped in their cars, and firefighters worked to safely extricate them from their vehicles before handing them over to the East of England Ambulance Service," they added.

The motorway was shut between junctions 22 and 23 with long delays stretching back anticlockwise to near Waltham Cross. Closures have now been lifted.