TWO people were arrested on suspicion of drug-driving following a multi-vehicle pile-up in dense fog which closed the M5 motorway southbound past Wellington on Sunday (November 8).

Eight vehicles were believed to have been involved in the collision near junction 27 for Tiverton, with one car ending up on its roof in the outside lane.

Police closed the southbound carriageway and held all traffic between junction 27 and Wellington’s junction 26 for several hours.

Devon and Cornwall Constabulary said officers were initially called to a report of a two-vehicle collision at about 5.50 pm and put a road closure in place.

A spokesperson said two men travelling in one of the cars suffered minor injuries, while a man and a woman travelling in the other car were found nearby and arrested.

The spokesperson said on Monday: “A 19-year-old man from Plymouth and a 20-year-old woman from Taunton were arrested on suspicion of driving while unfit through drugs.

“Both remain in police custody at this time.”

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) said a double-crewed land ambulance and an operational commander attended the incident but nobody needed hospital treatment.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue (DSFR) mobilised three fire crews to the scene from Wellington, Cullompton, and Tiverton.

However, a DSFR spokesperson said: “Everybody was clear of the vehicles, so no rescues were necessary.”

A second appliance from Wellington was required to travel to Taunton to be on stand by at about the same time.

The Met Office had earlier issued a yellow weather warning for heavy fog in the Westcountry from 6 pm on Sunday until 11 am on Monday.

However, it had said the affected area was not likely to spread south of Taunton.

A further yellow alert for fog was issued for Monday night into Tuesday morning.