A FIVE-vehicle motorway pile-up closed two lanes of the M5 leaving rush-hour commuters in lengthy tailbacks.

The crash happened between junction 5 at Wychbold and junction 4a for the M42 northbound at about 7.30am causing long queues.

Firefighters from Droitwich and Worcester police helped medics on the scene with mostly “walking wounded,” according to a spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance.

She said: “When crews arrived the people were already out of their cars and walking around.”

A man in his 30s was treated for a cut to his forehead before being taken to the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.

Another man, in his 40s, suffered a cut thumb.

Four cars and a light goods vehicle were involved in the pile-up blocking the outside and middle lanes, although traffic was still feeding through the nearside lane and hard shoulder.

The motorway re-opened after 9am, but traffic was heavy around the Worcester area for the remainder of the morning.

Motorists behind the crash were caught in up to 45 minutes of queues with cars tailing back as far as junction 7, Worcester South.

Michael Stallard, of Hanbury Park Avenue, St John’s, travelled to work in Blackheath, near Birmingham, via the A449 Worcester to Kidderminster Road. He said traffic on diversionary routes was heavy.

He said: “I set off at 9.30am, and by the time I got to the Kidderminster and Mustow Green turning traffic was very heavy into Kidderminster itself.”

A Highways Agency spokesman said: “Just prior to the reopening, traffic was queuing back to junction 7 at Worcester. The reason for the closure was there was oil on the motorway which we had to clear before fully reopening.”