THOUSANDS of drivers endured more motorway misery after a crash at Outlane.

They were caught up in horrendous tailbacks after police were forced to shut the entire M62.

Amazingly, the driver of a large van which clipped the central reservation and overturned climbed from the wrecked vehicle uninjured.

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But the crash saw him shed his load of Lucozade drinks bottles and cans, which were scattered across the entire carriageway.

It was the latest in a series of major accidents on the busy trans-Pennine motorway this month.

Lanes have been closed on at least four occasions this week, causing massive traffic jams on the motorway and on feeder roads.

And more misery is looming for drivers who use the route as the Highways Agency have confirmed more safety work is to start on Monday.

Yesterday’s accident happened at 11.20am on the eastbound carriageway, on the stretch from Scammonden to Outlane.

The van clipped the central reservation, flipped on to its side and ended up straddled across the second and third lanes and the central verge.

Dozens of boxes of soft drinks were hurled across all lanes of the motorway, thankfully missing other vehicles.

A police spokesman said: “Luckily the driver of the van was not hurt but he was very lucky.

“Police and officials of the Highways Agency had to close all six lanes of the motorway immediately after the crash to clear away the scattered drinks bottles and cans.

“It took 20 minutes to clear them from the westbound carriageway and we were then able to open up the first and second lanes to traffic.

“Twenty minutes later, we were able to open up the first lane of the eastbound carriageway but it took another three hours before the vehicle could be moved from the scene and the central barrier checked over by Highways Agency officers for repairs”.

The motorway re-opened shortly after 3pm but two lanes were later closed to allow the Agency to repair the barrier and the damaged road surface. The work continued into the early hours.

The shutdowns meant that traffic heading east queued back to Junction 21 at Milnrow – more than five miles.

Traffic on the westbound lanes queued back as far as Hartshead Moor services, some three miles.

Highways Agency officials said motorists were delayed for at least 45 minutes. They did try to divert many drivers off the M62 at Junction 22 on to the A658 through Ripponden.

THE van crash at Outlane was the EIGHTH this month to bring closures and chaos to the M62.

The busy motorway carries up to 6,000 vehicles an hour on some of the busiest stretches and every crash causes chaos.

The driver involved in yesterday’s crash at Junction 23 luckily escaped injury.

Incidents this month have included:

l Nov 2 - Two lanes closed at Junction 25 on westbound after six-vehicle crash

l Nov 2 - Two eastbound lanes closed after lorry crash near Junction 25 at Brighouse

l Nov 14 - The eastbound carriageway was closed at Junction 26 Chain Bar after a crash involving two cars and a motorcycle (pictured)

l Nov 19 - Two lanes were closed at Junction 23 Outlane after an accident involving two vehicles.

l Nov 20 - A woman fell from a motorway bridge near Junction 26 forcing police to close all six lanes to allow the Yorkshire Air Ambulance to land.

l Nov 20 - Two lanes were closed between Windy Hill and Outlane after a car crashed.

l Nov 21 - Two accidents near Junction 26 saw police shut both carriageways causing massive tailbacks on feeder roads in Huddersfield and Brighouse.