A MAN had a lucky escape when his car caught fire on the M62.

Rubber-necking motorists on the other carriageway were so busy watching the drama unfold that four vehicles slammed into one other.

The two incidents on the M62 at junction 26, Chain Bar, shut the motorway for several minutes around 10.45am yesterday.

The fire had broken out in the engine of the Saab convertible on the westbound carriageway.

The solicitor driving it saw flames in his rear view mirror which were appearing from beneath his car.

A line of oil was left on the carriageway as he pulled on to the hard shoulder and scrambled clear while the fire took hold.

The car was destroyed.

The blaze was tackled by a crew from Morley fire station while colleagues from Cleckheaton dealt with the crash on the other carriageway.

One woman suffered whiplash injuries.

* Four vehicles were involved in a smash on the eastbound carriageway at junction 25, Brighouse, at 3.45pm yesterday.

No-one was hurt and the damaged cars were shifted on to the hard shoulder.