THE M65 was closed for about half an hour yesterday after two soldiers had a "lucky escape" when their trailer smashed into the central reservation.

The accident happened at about 9.45am on the westbound carriageway when the 22-year-old woman driver of a Ford Ranger lost control of the trailer the car was towing.

Fire crews said it appeared that the trailer bounced off the central reservation before colliding with an HGV.

The Ford came to rest in the outside lane and the trailer ended up in the hard shoulder, and the driver of the lorry pulled up.

The woman and her passenger, a man, aged 25, escaped with cuts and bruises and the driver of the HGV was uninjured.

John Webster, watch manager at Hyndburn fire station, said: "It was fairly busy on the motorway at that time, it could have been lot worse, they were very lucky, especially with the car coming to rest in the outside lane."

He said the motorway was closed for about half an hour while the fire brigade and the police moved the car to the hard shoulder.

The pair work for the army recruitment team.

Mr Webster said by the time the motorway was re-opened traffic had backed-up to near junction 5.

An ambulance service spokesman said the pair were treated at the scene for their injuries.