A motorcyclist in his 20s was lucky to be alive after a horror crash which shut the M62.

The man, who has not been named, is believed to have smashed into the back of another vehicle in the third lane. The man’s Ducati machine is understood to have struck a black VW Passat.

Police said the collision happened at 12.50pm on Wednesday on the westbound carriageway at Junction 25, Brighouse, on the steep climb up to Ainley Top.

Traffic came to a standstill for a time on both carriageways as the Yorkshire air Ambulance was called. The helicopter landed on the motorway but was not needed.

A West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: “The air ambulance was on the scene and the man, thought to be in his 20s, is believed to have suffered serious leg injuries. The eastbound carriageway was re-opened at 1.45pm and the westbound at 1.50pm.”

The air ambulance flies off from the M62 after it was decided to transport the motorcyclist to hospital using a road ambulance

A motorist, Anthony Pomfret, who was on his way home to Mossley, near Manchester, was one of the first on the scene. He said: “The air ambulance landed right in front of us. The motorcyclist was lying on the ground.”

Anthony Pomfret who came to a halt just before the air ambulance landed

Congestion was caused for some time and traffic was also delayed around the same time due to a broken down lorry on the westbound carriageway between junction 25 and junction 24 (Ainley Top).