Car struck by runaway tyre on M25 near London Colney

The wheel fell off a box van before crossing the central reservation and smashing into a Vauxhall travelling clockwise.

It happened near the junction with London Colney at around lunchtime.

The impact of the strike from the wheel onto the Vauxhall Zafira was clear to see in an image uploaded by a police officer who attended the incident.

The photo shows the roof of the car crumpled and the windscreen smashed.

It is unknown how many people were travelling in the Vauxhall, but fortunately, only minor injuries were sustained, the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire road policing unit tweeted.

A second image showed the box van, minus a wheel, parked up on the hard shoulder accompanied by a police vehicle.

This Vauxhall Zafira was struck by a tyre which fell off a box van travelling in the other direction on the M25. Credit: BCH Road Policing Unit

The box van in which the tyre came free from. Credit: BCH Road Policing Unit

The force wrote on Twitter shortly before 2pm today: "Apologies for delays on the M25 St Albans. The motorway was briefly shut in both directions following an RTC (road traffic collision) in which this wheel fell off this box van which was travelling west, and became embedded in this Zafira, which was travelling east.

"Fortunately minor injuries (!) Recoveries are en route and the motorway is now open past the scene in both directions. The investigation is ongoing, which will include a check of mechanical condition for the vehicles involved."

The tyre that struck the Vauxhall. Credit: BCH Road Policing Unit

Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has dash cam footage is asked to call 101 quoting log 370 of March 16.