11th November 2011

COLYTON: Colyton family survive M5 crash horror

Couple talk of their escape from fatal motorway accident

By Paul Crompton

A COLYTON family has spoken of its miracle escape from the centre of one of the worst motorway crashes in history.

Michelle Craker, her husband Matt and son Fredrik have been at the centre of media coverage since last Friday’s horror M5 crash.

The couple smashed their way out of their vehicle just minutes before the Renault Traffic van, which they had bought just three days before, exploded in a ball of flames.

Mr Craker, who helped another motorist to safety, described the scene as something out of the Hollywood movie “Armageddon”.

The bruised and battered family are still coming to terms with being part of the crash, which left seven people dead and 51 injured on November 4th.

Colyton Primary School pupil Fredrik, seven, received two black eyes and a nasty graze in the crash. He has only just been able to sleep without his parents beside him.

The Croftland Cottage family were heading to Michelle’s parent’s 43rd wedding anniversary party in Gloucester with their three Briard show dogs when the incident happened.

Driver Mrs Craker, who suffered whiplash and severe bruising, said they were travelling around 50 miles-per-hour when they smashed into the car in front, before being hit by around four vehicles.

The 42-year-old said: “We went up the slipway then as I joined the motorway it was fine, normal, then there was a bit of fog.

“I could see two red lights in front of me, then it went black. It was like someone had thrown a tin of black paint over the window, so I touched the brake and then we hit something.

“At that point I thought it was my fault, then obviously when we started to be hit by other vehicles I realised it was not just us, there were more people involved.

“It was surreal, we were calm but we didn’t know the extent of the crash at that time.”

Once free from the van Mrs Cracker said: “I saw this man lying on the floor moaning and I said ‘Come on mate, we are alive, we’ll get out of this’.

“He was looking at the floor at what looked like water and Matt said to move because the road was on fire, so it could’ve been fuel.”

Mr Cracker, 39, cradled his screaming son as they started to get hit by other vehicles.

The security consultant said it was only when they came to a stand still that reality kicked in.

He then smashed the van’s window with his elbow, leapt out and pulled Fredrik with him.

He said: “I then called to Michelle to get a hammer out of the van because I realised that if she got out with it we could smash the window to get the dogs out.”

Matt added: “At that point, when I had my son and one dog, I went to the embankment to a safe distance and called back to Michelle to come over.

“The last time I looked over to the crash our vehicle was on fire.”

The other two dogs were also saved.

Hero Matt then returned to the embankment to help save an injured motorist caught in brambles in a ditch beside the motorway.

The family were taken to Yeovil District Hospital for check-ups and released at around 2am the next morning.

• SEATON couple Jean and Phyl McLean were caught in the M5 motorway drama.

Fate was in their favour when an unscheduled stop on their journey meant they arrived at the scene minutes after the fatal crash.

The couple, who run Seaton’s toning Studio, were on their way to the Midlands when they stopped to clean their car’s window screen in Honiton, allowing them to stop just 100 feet from the centre of the collision.

PICTURE 1: CRASH HORROR: Matt and Michelle Cracker with national press clippings about the accident

COLYTON: Colyton family survive M5 crash horror

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