A man and a woman died and four people were injured in a seven-vehicle collision on the M5 in Somerset.

Emergency services were called to the scene, near junction 24 at Huntworth, just after 8.30am on Thursday.

Avon and Somerset Police said the incident, on the southbound carriageway, involved a lorry and six cars.

The female driver of one car and the male passenger of another car were pronounced dead at the scene, a police spokesman said.

A woman from each of those vehicles were taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol with serious injuries.

Two other people went to Musgrove Park Hospital for injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.

Another person was treated at the scene and released.

Inspector Frazer Davey said: “I’d like to thank people for their patience while the emergency teams are working at the scene and as the vehicles are being recovered.”

“While I appreciate how disruptive the road closure is I’m sure people will understand our need to carry out a thorough investigation to establish exactly how this happened.

The motorway was closed in both directions between junction 24 and junction 25, with the northbound carriageway re-opened at about 12pm.

The southbound carriageway remains closed while emergency services carry out an examination of the scene and recover vehicles.