A MOTORIST had a lucky escape when his van flipped over a motorway barrier.

The man, who was in his 50s, was driving on the M5 northbound at about 9.25am when his van hit the barrier on the hard shoulder just before junction six for Worcester south and ended up on its side on the grass embankment.

Despite initially being trapped inside, the man was freed within a few minutes.

An ambulance and a rapid response vehicle attended the scene along with the police, and the man was treated at the scene for minor injuries but wasn't taken to hospital.

The inside lane of the northbound carriageway was closed for recovery work and heavy traffic was reported in the area.