Traffic stretched back four miles on the southbound carriageway after the accident close to junction 9 for Wednesbury, West Midlands, at just before 8am. Three lanes were closed for hours as emergency vehicles scrambled to the scene.

       It added between 45 minutes and one hour onto journey times, with jams reaching junction 10 for Walsall, West Midlands.

       As Birmingham Live reports, traffic was also busy on alternative routes, including Pleck Road in Walsall and A4148 around the town.

       West Midlands Roads tweeted: "Due to this incident on the M6 southbound, there is heavy traffic and congestion in Walsall on Green Lane, Bloxwich Lane, Wolverhampton Road, and Pleck Road as drivers seek alternative routes. south between J10 Walsall and J9 Wednesbury."

       Highways England, ambulance crews and police officers were at the scene of the crash.

       But fortunately there were no major injuries.

       A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: "We were called to a multi-vehicle RTC on the southbound carriageway of the M6 between junctions 10 and 9, Walsall, at 7.36am this morning.

       "Three ambulances and two paramedic officers attended. One woman was given treatment on scene for minor injuries before being conveyed to Walsall Manor Hospital for further checks.

       It comes just days after a crash involving three lorries shut another part of the M6. One of the drivers lost his life in the collision near Lymm, Cheshire.