HUNDREDS of motorists were left stuck in huge tailbacks on Tuesday morning following a seven-car pile-up on the M65.

Drivers heading towards Hyndburn were held up for more than an hour following the accident between Junction 5 at Shadsworth and Junction 6 at Whitebirk during the morning rush-hour.

Police, paramedics and fire crews rushed to the incident shortly after 8am after the vehicles collided with each other on the westbound carriageway.

The road had to be reduced to a single lane, causing a three-mile queue of traffic stretching as far back as Junction 7. It also led to congestion along Dunkenhalgh Way and Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors.

The crash involved a blue Peugeot 306, a blue Skoda Felicia, a blue Toyota Carolla, a silver Mazda-3, a white Ford van, a blue Renault Laguna and a green Peugeot 106.

Fire crews used cutting equipment to free a woman from her car.

She was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary for treatment.

A police spokesman said: "None of the drivers were from Hyndburn and there were no serious injuries. We had to work to get the carriageway clear and we are not sure at this stage what caused pile-up."