A DRIVER cheated death when his car smashed into a tree near Worcester cricket ground.

All three emergency services were called to New Road after a silver Peugeot 106 XR hit a tree and a blue Mazda MX5 left the road, ploughed through a fence into Cripplegate Park.

"I heard a screech of breaks and saw the silver car smash right into the tree," said eyewitness Jo McKinnon.

"The airbag must have saved his life. He just got out and lay on the ground."

Miss McKinnon, 16, was walking with two friends when they witnessed the accident shortly after 5.30pm yesterday.

Two people, described as "walking wounded", were taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital by ambulance but are not thought to have serious injuries.

Witnesses should contact police on 01905 723888 quoting c/637012.

Later last night, at 11.40pm, a 42-year-old Middlesbrough man died when the Iveco box van in which he was a passenger hit a 38-ton lorry between junctions 7 and 8 of the M5.

The van driver, a 31-year-old from Stockton-on-Tees, was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital with minor injuries. The lorry driver, a 56-year-old from Droitwich, was unhurt.

Central Motorway Police are keen to hear from witnesses on 0121 322 6025.

Meanwhile, at 3.30am today, firefighters had to cut one person from the wreckage of a smash involving a car and a lorry at the junction of Sutton Road and Stourport Road in Kidderminster.