A LORRY driver was killed and a Harlow tyre fitter seriously injured after an HGV ploughed into the back of a stationary lorry on the M11.

The devastating crash occurred on Thursday night at Little Hallingbury, between junctions seven and eight, two miles from the Stansted turn-off.

At about 10.10pm, the driver of a Scania HGV collided with the back of a Mercedes lorry which had shed a nearside tyre three--quarters of an hour earlier. The tyre was being replaced at the time of the crash.

Scania driver John Jaggs, 40, from Ruskington, Lincolnshire died instantly. Tyre fitter Michael Tyler, 23, from Harlow, was described as "lucky to be alive". He received serious leg injuries and was suffering from shock.

The fitter, who works for ATS Tyres, was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital, and at the time the Citizen went to press, his condition was described as "serious" but not life-threatening.

Fortunately the driver of the stationary lorry, 32-year-old Kevin Schofield, from Burnley, Lancashire, was not in the cab at the time of the accident. He was not injured.

First on the scene was Dr Keith Harvey in his rapid response car. Mid Essex Doctors Immediate Care Scheme (MEDICS) doctor Judith Fisher arrived minutes later. She pronounced Mr Jaggs dead.

Dr Fisher told the Citizen: "I live extremely close to the scene, but frustratingly had to drive about 13 and a half miles to get to the accident site.

"I could have run across the bank to get to it, but I wouldn't have had any of my equipment.

"Luckily, the rapid response vehicle was on the scene quickly and was able to treat the tyre fitter. He was lucky to be alive," she said.

Three fire crews from Harlow and one from Stansted cut free the lorry driver, but he was already dead. Ambulance crews from Loughton and Epping and a Stansted paramedic manager were also present.

The moving lorry, laden with bananas, was substantially damaged, while the stationary lorry shed its load of polystyrene granule packaging .

Police cordoned off two lanes of the motorway for several hours to deal with the incident. The road was not cleared until 11am on Friday.

Any witnesses should ring PC Andy Cracknell at Harlow Police traffic unit on 641221.

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